SOUTH Cumbrian MPs have confessed to having used cannabis in their youth.

They have spoken following the announcement the Liberal Democrats are backing a new report calling for the legalised sale of marijuana through licensed outlets. 


Tim Farron  Westmorland and Lonsdale MP and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was the first to admit he had dabbled with the drug as he backed calls for cannabis to be legalised.

A study commissioned by the Lib Dems and conducted by a panel of scientists, academics and police chiefs, suggests that the drug should be available in specialist shops to over-18s. 

Mr Farron's party is expected to debate the issue at its spring conference later this week.

Father-of-four Mr Farron, 46, said: “I tried cannabis when I was younger, as did many other politicians.

“But sadly, too many other politicians want to continue forcing our police to waste resources chasing cannabis users when they should be able to take violent crime instead.

“It’s time that we had the courage to look at the evidence and make a decision that will help us to tackle the real criminals instead of the current failed approach.”

The Evening Mail also asked Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock and Copeland MP Jamie Reed, both Labour MPs, if they had ever tried cannabis.


John Woodcock  Mr Woodcock said he used the drug as a teenager and revealed he was once cautioned by police after being caught with cannabis.

He said: "I smoked cannabis as a teenager and university. 

"I was cautioned by the British Transport Police for possession of a small amount of cannabis while returning from a music festival in Stratford-upon-Avon with my friends as a 16-year-old in 1995."

However, Mr Woodcock is against a change in legislation. 

He said: "I was asked this a couple of weeks ago on Twitter from the perspective of a local mental health campaigner concerned by the impact legalising it could have on mental health. 

"That is understandable – there are some valid arguments in favour of legalisation but I would oppose such a move unless properly reassured about the impact usage can have on mental health."


Jamie Reed  Millom's MP Mr Reed said he was "regrettably square".

On a serious note, he added: "I'm against the legalisation of cannabis. The more we know about it, the less tolerant I think we should be.

"I was against it being downgraded to Class C and supported it becoming Class B again. I'm sure some people can manage it but its social effects are horrendous."

In an Evening Mail poll conducted yesterday, 74 per cent of respondents said they had tried cannabis – while 71 per cent said their opinion of Mr Farron had not lowered. And 81 per cent said cannabis should be legalised.