Law Weblog

Cannabis downgraded – but don’t believe what the papers say

Sunday 28 December 2003 at 11:24 pm | In News | Post Comment

Cannabis becomes a Class C drug on 29 Jan 2004, but becomes an “arrestable offence” under the Criminal Justice Act, and the maximum penalty for the possession will go down from 5 years to 2 years imprisonment. 

There will be a “presumption against arrest” for possession and for using small amounts of cannabis. Cannabis will still be confiscated, offender’s details recorded and a warning given. What happens in practice is at the police officer’s discretion so there may be no change from the current enforcement style, and the power of arrest could be still be used on every occasion if the police so desire.

Cannabis is still 100% illegal.