Laying down the law - then, now and the future - News

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When Labour came to power in 1997 cannabis was a class B drug. Possession of the drug carried a maximum five-year jail sentence and an unlimited fine, while dealers could receive up to 14 years. Most arrests for possession ended in criminal trials.

The law now.

In January 2004, the then home secretary David Blunkett downgraded cannabis to class C. This reduced the penalty for possession to a maximum of two years, although dealers still face up to 14 years in jail. Police officers were told not to routinely prosecute for possession and only to take action beyond a warning if there were "aggravating factors" such as repeatedly flouting the law or smoking in front of children.

What changes might lie ahead.

In July, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that the status of cannabis is to be reassessed because of growing concerns about the drug's links with mental illness. The Home Office's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is now preparing a report on the issue, due to be completed next year, after which the Government is expected to return cannabis to a class B drug.