The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7190 p385-391
23 March 2002

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Down grading of cannabis offences to come soon?

The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs has cleared the way for the Home Secretary (David Blunkett) to downgrade cannabis to a Class C drug (our Lobby correspondent writes).

Whitehall aides agreed that simple possession may "within weeks" be a non-arrestable offence while traffickers would face a maximum of five years' imprisonment rather than the current 14 years. However, the Prime Minister's press spokesman said: "There are no plans for decriminalisation or legislation."

The ACMD report said that the current B categorisation of cannabis alongside substances like amphetamines was disproportionate to its harmfulness.

The report went on: "The high use of cannabis is not associated with major health problems for the individual or society. The occasional use of cannabis is only rarely associated with significant problems in otherwise healthy individuals."

Regular heavy use of cannabis, the report said, can lead to dependence but it is less addictive than amphetamines, cigarettes and alcohol. But, at the same time, cannabis is not harmless and can damage mental functions including memory, attention and motor control.