Die Cannabisstudie der Library of Commons
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2000/rp00-074.pdf

House of Commons Research Paper 00/74 von der Bibliothek des britischen Unterhauses wurde am 8. August 2000 veröffentlicht und ist auf der Website dieser Einrichtung zu finden. Wir wurden von einem Abgeordneten des britischen Unterhauses auf die Studie hingewiesen. Besonders interessant ist das Kapitel das sich mit den Kosten der Cannabisprohibition befasst:

F. The economics of legalising cannabis

There is no definitive way to examine the total monetary gain/loss from legalising cannabis. Standard economic cost and benefit analysis is not possible, as there is a lack of the basic data required to complete such an analysis with any degree of accuracy. When trying to answer a question such as ‘What would be the gains from legalising cannabis?’ the analysis is complicated due to several major difficulties, not least of which is quantifying some of the variables. Therefore, the section below suggests just some of the gains and losses that could arise, if cannabis were to become a licit drug.

The 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review estimated that drug related spending across the UK in 1997/98 was approximately £1.4 billion. 163 From this total, the cost of enforcement including probation, court and prison services accounts for 62% or £870 million and the cost of international supply activities, such as customs and the police, 13% or £180 million. Holding all other variables constant and assuming that cannabis accounts for 75% of all illegal activity 164 there would be a reduction in the estimated total of drug related spending of around about £790 million a year from here. Further assuming that cannabis products would be subject to the same levels of taxation and duty as currently paid on a packet of cigarettes, Government revenue would increase by approximately £1 billion a year 165 suggesting a gain to the public purse of around about £1.6 billion a year. There would also be costs to legalising cannabis. It has been estimated that the loss in revenue from court fines would amount to some £2 million and the increase in treatment and rehabilitation, from the increased misuse of cannabis, £137 million. 166

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163 ONS Social Trends 29, 1999 edition
164 Based on seizure by quantity figures from section D of the statistics information on cannabis section of this paper.
165 ODCCP Cannabis as an illicit narcotic crop: a review of the global situation of cannabis consumption, trafficking and production ODCCP, website www.odccp.org
166 House of Commons Library research, Our ref: 2000/5/176SG