Cannabis is a Class B controlled drug under Part II, Schedule 2, of the Drug Abuse Act of 1971 (MDA 197). The government stated that the reclassification of cannabis to class C had the desired effect, as arrests for possession of cannabis were reduced by a third in the first following year, saving approximately 199,000 police hours. Reprogramming of cannabis and cannabis resin ;( The Drug Abuse Regulations 2001 are amended as follows. The definition does not affect the crime of growing the cannabis plant, which would still require a license from the Ministry of the Interior, or broader crimes related to the recreational use of cannabis.
Cannabis will remain controlled as a class B drug under the Drug Abuse Act 1971 (“the 1971 Act”) and the penalties for unauthorized supply, possession and cultivation of cannabis will remain unchanged. The classification of cannabis in the United Kingdom refers to the class of drugs, as determined by the Drug Abuse Act 1971, in which cannabis is included.
