Summary
"In January 2004, cannabis was reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug. This report, by the
Institute for Criminal Policy Research at King’s College London, describes the impact of
reclassification on the policing of cannabis possession. To date, little research has been carried
out in this area and there is a lack of knowledge about how reclassification has affected policing
practice.
The study describes how the legislative changes and associated guidelines have been put into
practice and provides a snapshot view of the impact of these changes. It describes the new
procedures and documents current practice in relation to arrests for ‘aggravated possession’
and warnings issued on the street (particularly for repeat offenders). The report also assesses
the impact on police resources, explores police views about the changes and examines young
people’s knowledge and attitudes about the changes.
The authors conclude that if cannabis policing is to be seen as equitable and fair and the
criminal justice system as open and transparent, the policing of cannabis needs to be nondiscriminatory,
adequately monitored and critically evaluated at regular intervals.
Policing cannabis as a Class C drug will be of interest to politicians, police managers, central and
local government officials, drug workers, academics and drug researchers."--Page 1.