Bruce Caruso, a Guernsey-based cannabis consultant, pictured, has worked for 15 years across nearly every facet of the legal market, including operating dispensaries, helping with regulatory framework, developing edible products, and working in wholesale distribution.
He said that delaying debate would once again defer any prospect of meaningful reform for the local treatment of the drug.
‘This proposal was never about immediate legalisation. It was a measured, responsible step to establish a working group so that the States could properly examine the evidence, consider regulatory models, and make an informed decision at a later date. Delaying even that initial step risks pushing meaningful reform further into the long grass once again,’ he said.
The requete recommends setting up a working party of deputies who would have until the end of next year to devise a model for cannabis to be legalised and regulated locally.
But lead signatory Deputy Marc Leadbeater will ask for the requete to be withdrawn when the States meets today after a code of conduct complaint was lodged against him by Deputy Rob Curgenven, who has accused Deputy Leadbeater of being dishonest about his and his family’s links to cannabis companies.
It is expected that deputies will agree to withdraw it, but there must now be serious doubts if that debate will take place during 2026.
Mr Caruso said that the island’s current ‘prohibition-based approach’ is not cost-free.
‘It continues to consume police time, court capacity, and public resources that could be better directed towards serious crime.
‘Second, the present system is causing avoidable harm to islanders. Individuals are acquiring criminal records for relatively minor cannabis offences, with long-term impacts on employment, housing, and life chances. That is a disproportionate outcome which we have a responsibility to review.’
Mr Caruso said that the code of conduct complaint against Deputy Leadbeater should not pause debate on the requete, as it represented a policy question for the whole assembly, not just one individual.
‘The perception of personal conflict is beginning to affect public confidence and is creating unnecessary division within the community.
‘Issues of this importance should not become entangled in individual disagreements, particularly when that dynamic risks stalling progress on matters that directly affect islanders lives,’ he said.
‘I would strongly urge States members to consider whether the requete should proceed under alternative leadership or be reintroduced without delay by other members of the assembly.’
Signatories to the requete backed the move to delay debate, but some are known to be disappointed.
Alderney representative Alex Snowdon said that if it was withdrawn he would want to see it re-presented before any Tax Review debate in the summer.
‘My personal opinion is there was quite a lot of talk about trying to lift every single possibility for any sort of taxes that could come in, and I know that with cannabis – I think we’re a long way off implementation, but whether there’ll be any financial benefit, if that eventually came in, really falls into the box of turning over every single stone before some sort of GST-plus comes in,’ he said.
‘So again, though it looks like it will potentially be withdrawn if the assembly support it, I would also welcome Policy & Resources to maybe put some little bit of information the potential revenues that it could create in their tax plan.’
Deputies Andy Cameron and Charles Parkinson said they agreed with Deputy Leadbeater’s decision to hold off on a debate.
‘This is obviously a matter decided by Marc Leadbeater who has been under a sustained and very unpleasant attack, and I think he’s right to think that it would be better to get the allegations against him dealt with before bringing this matter to the States, because otherwise that will only confuse the issues,’ said Deputy Parkinson.
Deputy Cameron said he backed Deputy Leabeater’s decision.
‘He just needs to clear the air before he can proceed,’ he said.