For the first time in the island’s history, drug offences are the most prevalent crimes.

The statistic was revealed by Chief Constable Gary Roberts on Twitter this week.

He added that about 60% of drugs offences involved cannabis.

A police spokesman told the Examiner that criminal damage and theft are usually the most reported crimes in the island and were second and third behind drug-related offences in August.

Mr Roberts praised the work of his officers but added that they face ’many questions’.

Mr Roberts continued by detailing how, aside from dealing and possession, the police were dealing with many social issues related to drug addiction.

He said: ’The biggest issues they [police officers] are dealing with are about complex vulnerability, mental health problems (often as a result of drug use) and increasing offending by young people.

’At another level, tackling money laundering also occupies our time.’

Mr Roberts’ comments came as police announced they had seized £30,000 in cash and £150,000 of suspected cannabis resin and bush and arrested a 31-year-old man in Douglas.

The Chief Constable was asked by people on Twitter whether he thought that some users of cannabis were using the drug for medicinal purposes, potentially for mental health issues.

He responded: ’Perhaps but long-term use of controlled drugs often seems to coincide with deteriorating mental health.

’Now seeing young cannabis users starting to suffer.’

Mr Roberts’ tweets came at the same time that the Minister for Home Affairs Bill Malarkey MHK announced a consultation on medicinal cannabis, either by the end of this year, or early in 2019.

Mr Malarkey told the Examiner: ’This consultation will mainly look at the medicinal use of cannabis, for example, would it be prescription only or over the counter.

’What are the actual benefits? As chairman of the substance misuse strategy, we’ve been told of mixed feelings and views on the medical purposes and benefits.’

’However, this is not a consultation on legalisation or decriminalisation.’

Mr Malarkey admitted that by having this consultation, attention will inevitably turn to the discussion of legalising recreational use of cannabis.

However, he said that this would cause more issues than people realised, including the possibility of a customs border between the UK and the Isle of Man.

This is not a view shared by Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper, who said: ’I’m in favour of a fully regulated on island market that allows licensed cultivation and sale of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use.

’This is already the case in several places around the world and we could take the lead in the British Isles.

’The consultation should set out all the different ways forward and give the public a real say and not just ask questions about some of the limited reforms that are favoured by some politicians.’

Mr Hooper also believed that it was likely we would have to strengthen our customs anyway with Brexit and said that rather than finding reasons not to do something, the island should explore reasons to try new things.

He added: ’Brexit might provide us with opportunities for change in unexpected places and we should take advantage of that while we can.’