LEGALISING ‘softer’ drugs such as cannabis would take the burden off the UK’s prison system in dealing with drug users and dealers, Newport West MP Paul Flynn has said.

Addressing leader of the house Andrea Leadsom in Parliament last week, Mr Flynn, who has repeatedly called for cannabis to be legalised, said: “Drug policies in Holland have delivered a prison crisis in that they do not have enough prisoners to fill their prisons.

“Drug policies here have created chaos in our prisons and a record number of drug deaths, including psychoactive drug deaths, last year.

“May we debate which country has got its policies right?”

Ms Leadsom replied: “In the UK we have always been very clear: we do not believe that permission to use drugs is of any benefit whatsoever and we will continue to make every effort to reduce drug offending and to encourage people to get clean from drugs.”

In Holland it is legal to sell soft drugs such as cannabis and so-called ‘magic mushrooms’ in small quantities for “personal use”.