Tynwald has rejected the idea of setting up a ‘citizens’ jury’ to consider legalising cannabis for recreational use.

The motion was tabled in Tynwald by former Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson who told the court: ‘Prohibition and the so-called “war on drugs” is not working either here or anywhere else in the world.

‘Our current legislation provides an illegal market for criminals to exploit and harm our young people.

‘Our criminal justice system has applied harsher penalties to increasing numbers of people, criminalising residents while increasingly filling our prison with people from across.

‘We know how criminalisation and exploitation can ruin lives and break up families.

‘It can lead to poor mental health and physical health, self-harm and suicide.’

But Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jane Poole-Wilson opposed the idea, saying it would lead to unrealistic expectations that cannabis would be legalised.

Dr Allinson’s motion called for a citizens’ jury to be established by December this year to consider timelines for a future regulated environment which would allow for the sale of cannabis for recreational use.

He explained that citizens’ juries had been used across the British Isles and around the world.

They involve bringing together a small demographically representative group of 12-24 people from all walks of life to investigate a complex public policy issue and come up with actionable recommendations.

The jury would hear from, and cross examine, a balanced panel of independent experts, stakeholders and advocates, Tynwald heard.

Dr Allinson said his motion built on a report, unanimously approved by Tynwald in 2024, which set out policy principles to tackle the harm caused by illegal drugs.

He said: ‘Every harm and death due to drugs is avoidable. We should not accept the status quo.’

His motion was seconded by Douglas South MHK Joney Faragher who said it wasn’t asking members to redraw the law around cannabis or ignore the risks associated with drug use.

She described idea of a citizens’ jury as ‘sensible and proportionate’.

But Mrs Poole-Wilson said that while she supported the concept of citizens’ juries in general she could not do so in this case.

She said: ‘Commissioning a citizens’ jury to provide a route to legalisation risks raising public expectation that government can straight-forwardly deliver a regulated recreational market when the constitutional and international position is complex and challenging to achieve.’

Gary Clueit MLC warned of the risks of the Isle of Man becoming an ‘enclave’ for legalised recreational cannabis use surrounded by neighbours where it remained banned.

Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford said an action plan on implementing the approved policy principles would be published this summer.

Mrs Poole-Wilson tabled an amendment which simply reaffirmed the 2024 policy principles and noted the Council of Ministers’ intention to publish an action plan by the summer.

This amendment was carried by 19 votes to four in the House of Keys and six to one in the Legislative Council, and the motion as amended was voted through unanimously.