Cannabis: Decriminalisation of Personal Possession and Recreational Use (P.31/2024) – second amendment. (P.31/2024 Amd.(2)) – Children’s Rights Impact Assessment

1)  Name and brief description of the proposed decision

The subject of your CRIA may be a proposed law, policy or proposition and in accordance with the Law is referred to in this template as the decision'

• What is the problem or issue the decision is trying to address?

• Do children experience this problem differently from adults?

Amendment to P.31/2024 Cannabis: Decriminalisation Of Personal Possession And Recreational Use.

Required amendments to P.31 to amend certain aspects of the proposition to broaden the considerations required as a result of the proposition, if adopted.

2)  Which groups of children and young people are likely to be affected?

Groups of children could include early years, primary or secondary education; young adults; children with additional learning needs; disabled children; children living in poverty; children from particular ethnic backgrounds; migrants; refugees; care experienced children and LGBTQ+ children

Children of secondary education and young adults.

3)  What is the likely impact of the proposed decision on children and on their rights?

• Identify any potential positive OR negative impacts and include indirect impacts on children and their rights as described in the UNCRC

• Will different groups of children be affected differently by this decision?

The States Assembly are to debate and decide if they are of the opinion that as a principle, cannabis should be decriminalised. The action of decriminalising or legalising and regulating cannabis use will impact children and their rights. It is therefore important that due time and resources are given to exploring this impact and how it could affect children so that the identified impact can shape any future proposals that are brought back before the States Assembly in November 2025.

The amendment requires that explicit consideration is given to (but not be limited to) -

• use in the presence of minors;

• restrictions on the sale to minors;

• approaches to minors or vulnerable people coerced into cannabis related activities;

in the formation of any proposals.

4)  Is a full Children's Rights Impact Assessment required?

If you have identified impacts on children and their rights, a full CRIA should be completed. If no impacts are identified then a Full CRIA is not required, but please explain your rationale and how you reached this conclusion

No, see above. An in principal decision on the decriminalisation of cannabis and the instruction to create proposals, to be brought back to the Assembly, would not in isolation have any impact on children and their rights.