'No-one should be criminalised for personal drug use' plea after Cleveland figures are released

Thousands of child drug offences are recorded by police every year in England and Wales.

But critics of drug prohibition warn that giving a youngster a criminal record can negatively impact their future.

Ministry of Justice figures show 22 cautions or convictions were handed down to youngsters across Cleveland over drug crimes in 2020-21 with the punishments among 379 recorded since records began in 2013-14.

Since then, under-18s across England and Wales have been cautioned or convicted over drugs almost 48,000 times – punishments that could have life-long consequences, according to campaigners calling for reform.

Nationally, 4,000 drug offences were committed by children during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, despite national lockdowns and other measures contributing to a significant fall in overall crime rates.

It meant 10.3% of all childhood offending in England and Wales was connected to drugs in 2020-21.

Despite a 58% drop in youth-related crime since 2013-14, this was the highest proportion on record.

Across the area covered by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, drug crimes represented 6% of the total 367 proven offences that resulted in a conviction or caution for children last year.

Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst at the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, said the figures were a "depressing reflection on the failure of UK drug policy" and added that nobody should be criminalised for personal drug use.

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