The country with the biggest weed habit? That might surprise you.

A new report claims the UK government should legalise marijuana because it's “the only solution to crime and addiction problems”.

The strongly-worded study - titled The Tide Effect: How the World is Changing its Mind on Cannabis - was produced by the nonpartisan Adam Smith Institute and has the backing of several cross-party MPs including former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

A new report claims the UK government should legalise marijuana because it's “the only solution to crime and addiction problems”.

The strongly-worded study - titled The Tide Effect: How the World is Changing its Mind on Cannabis - was produced by the nonpartisan Adam Smith Institute and has the backing of several cross-party MPs including former deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg.

A ten-year cancer survivor, who prefers to be identified only as patient X, supports the idea of cannabis decriminalisation in Bermuda.

Researching his cancer, which first announced itself with a haematoma that left him “ankle-deep in blood”, quickly became part of his daily routine.

“It scared the life out of me, but I put on a brave face, carried on with life, and then plunged into internet research,” the patient told The Royal Gazette.

“I had mental problems for the first couple of years. That isn’t unusual; many cancer patients get depressed.”

Teaching himself online offered new hopes. Among them were the promising applications of cannabis, as well as drugs derived from the plant.

The Director of Public Prosecution’s call for public input on a caution policy covering simple possession of cannabis has elicited a “pleasing” range of responses thus far.

However, Larry Mussenden told The Royal Gazette he did not see the move as “crowdsourcing — or a vote, either”, on a legal shift with profound implication for police as well as the public.

“We have to strike a balance. A caution policy has to be understood by the public, young and old,” he said. “The Commissioner of Police and his officers must be able to administer it efficiently and effectively.”

The DPP’s decision to solicit views for a fresh look at police cautions, as a possible alternative to convictions, was announced on May 19, and it continues until June 10.

Pharmacist and university lecturer Dr Marcia Williams made a presentation highlighting studies that suggest cannabis can reduce the risk of contracting diabetes.

Dr Williams, who was invited to the Island to give a presentation at the Bermuda College by the Bermuda Pharmaceutical Association during Pharmacy Week, is a lecturer at the University of Technology in Jamaica and holds a PhD in Pharmaceutics from Queen’s University in Belfast.

By the numbers: the Island's athletes were tested more than 1,500 times to see if they had been using illicit drugs

Bermuda Sport Anti-Doping Authority has carried out more than 1,500 tests under its illicit drugs programme since January 1, 2013.

According to Bsada there have been just four positive results, all for marijuana, out of the 1,706 that it performed.

In response to a Pati request from The Royal Gazette, Bsada revealed that it had also carried out 169 tests for performance-enhancing drugs in the same period, with no adverse analytical findings. There, were, however three missed filings, and two missed tests recorded for athletes who are required to submit quarterly reports about their whereabouts.

A growing number of teenaged boys and young men appearing in court have a history of smoking marijuana, according to senior magistrate Juan Wolffe.

Mr Wolffe said that he and his magistrate colleagues could “draw the inference that there is a strong nexus” between offending behaviour and marijuana over the past few years.

“This is just what I have seen in court and heard through discussions with other magistrates in both criminal and family courts — it’s not based on empirical evidence,” he added.

“It seems offenders that come before us have a history of smoking marijuana, and some of them have been smoking since they were as young as nine.”