Lord Sugar calls for the legalisation of marijuana to help stop London stabbings

Lord Sugar has said he’d support the legalisation of marijuana in the fight to calm the epidemic of stabbings among young people in London.

The businessman and star of The Apprentice called into Good Morning Britain this morning to make his views known, after news last week that 250 young people have been lost to fatal stab wounds in London so far this year.

“I had a very strong opinion about two weeks ago when in the House of Lords there was discussion about the use of medical marijuana, which prompted me to ask whether if marijuana was legalised this would put the kibosh on the gangs,” he told GMB host Piers Morgan, with whom Sugar has long had a fractious relationship.

“You’ve got to ask what are they doing this for, is it reprisal for not paying your drugs bill?”

Morgan went on to point out that research has shown that London crime has been driven by a flood of cheap cocaine to the city.

“You’re right, my opinion has changed since I’ve been listening to the commentary on this. My idea would be, one element of it, if it [marijuana] was legalised it would do away with a lot of gang culture, very similar to Prohibition in America in the 1930s, when alcohol was legalised again it just wiped out the crime and corruption,” he went on.

“One [of the aspects driving the stabbings] is the drugs, two is this one-up-man-ship, this status thing, where you’re known by your mates for stabbing people.

“It is unfortunately black young kids who are getting involved in this. I would call for black football players and famous black actors to speak out on this and tell the kids, come on, get a life.

“[But] I do like the idea of legalising marijuana to solve let’s say 30% of the problem.”

Knife crime in London has hit a seven-year high, a rise of 16 percent.

According to figures from the Metropolitan Police, there were 1299 stabbings in London up to the end of April this year.

Read more
Stacey Dooley to look at child homelessness for Children in Need
Viewers in tears over dramatic Attenborough series
GBBO star on why she didn’t mention disability