Was cannabis legalised?
No. Possession of the drug remained a criminal offence. What is the difference between classes C and B? The change to class C put cannabis on the same legal level as steroids and anti-depressants. Class B drugs include speed and barbiturates. Are the penalties different? Yes. A conviction for class C drug possession carries a maximum two-year sentence. In the case of class B drugs, possession carries a maximum five-year sentence. Supply of either carries a maximum of 14 years in jail. Rather than being arrested and taken to the police station because of possession of small quantities of the drug (class B), a suspect will be given a warning, a caution or sent a court summons later (class C). What was the impact of the downgrading of cannabis on the criminal justice system? The number of cannabis dealers being sent to jail has fallen to a 10-year low, while prosecutions have fallen a third from 2,790 in 2003 to 1,994 in 2006. Figures from Parliamentary Answers also showed that in 2003, p