Cannabis and Legality in the UK.

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug meaning that the drug is or has a chemical substance that alters perception, mood, behaviour and consciousness.

Cannabis itself is harvested from the cannabis plant, which is part of the cannabaceae family. There are three known types of cannabis plant as I am currently aware of; these are Sativa, Indica and hybrids of both. The plants are then subcategorized by there effects and flavours.

The main component in cannabis is what gives its psychoactive effects called THC or tetrahydrocannabinol. People use this substance as recreation, but this plant also has medical properties. Yet, they have not had too much research into their properties due to the legal status.

Current legality/Harm and penalties.

The plants current legal status in the UK is Class B. Prior to this, cannabis was a Class C drug. Many People suspected that the drug would become legal before cannabis once again became class B. The plant has been legalized in some states in America and 7 places in Europe have either legalized or softened the punishment for cannabis-related crimes. So if the plant has been proven by other countries to have medical properties, then why has the UK still not legalized it?

Well the simple answer for that question is the current leading political party (Conservative) has no interest in making cannabis legal, and have strong belief it could be a dangerous drug. The Conservative party thinks that cannabis prohibition, while costly, may be effective in the harm reduction of the UK's people.

In the UK, the plant is still in the same legality and status of amphetamines as well as synthetic cannabis and ketamine which when users take too much can result in internal bleeding and even death. So why is a plant people smoke in the same category? Cannabis finds itself stuck with these other drugs not because it causes overdoses easily and not because it's user's are aggressive but because it draws out mental health issues and causes cannabis psychosis in some cases.

The penalty for possession of cannabis is up to five years in prison and/or a fine. Supplying and intent to supply can land you up to 14 years in prison and a fine, or in some states in America a lovely business and a nice profit.

A brief history of cannabis legality.

Cannabis was made illegal first almost 89 years ago on the 28th of September. The plant was sectioned to the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920. Cannabis was then only medically used in the UK up until 1971 when the misuse of drugs act was put in place, making a class system which we still use today.

The government first started control of psychoactive substances as a temporary emergency law to allow war time regulations to be set, fitting to the defence of the realm act 1914.

In 1916, the army council added a regulation in this law preventing the sale of opium, cocaine, and cannabis in attempts to prevent troops from using these substances as a high. This was later practiced in the UK public and made permanent legislation. The actual banning of cannabis would not be in place until 1928, and the growing of cannabis plants became illegal in 1964.

Cannabis was originally a B class drug. In 2001 David Blunkett under the supervision of Toney Blair's labour announced that the class of cannabis would be changed to C. This would make sure users of this drug would no longer face prison time for use. But could still be changed for distribution and selling. This was to relieve stress on the police force, and then allow the police to focus on more intensive crimes. This came in to practice in 2004. Many people saw this as a step to legalisation.

The dream that about 49% of the UK had was shattered, as on 26 January 2009 the status was changed back to class B under the Gordon Brown labour.

More recent, in 2012 classification was reviewed. They came up with a vote in the House of Commons, in which the vote was a draw and is still to this day a class B drug.

Pro-cannabis activists hold a protest in Hide Park London and Leeds protesting legality. This happens on April 20th at 4:20; a time of day where smokers of cannabis smoke up and enjoy.