Corporate report

The Advisory Council’s report - Further consideration of the classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (2005)

Following the Home Secretary’s request in March 2005, the Advisory Council has reviewed its position on the classification of cannabis products…

• From: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
• Published: 19 January 2006

Documents

The Advisory Council’s report - Further consideration of the classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971(2005)

PDF, 372 KB, 36 pages

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Details

Following the Home Secretary’s request in March 2005, the advisory council has reviewed its position on the classification of cannabis products. In particular it has examined recent evidence (published since its last report in 2002) on the effects of cannabis on mental health and claims of increased prevalence of cannabis with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The advisory council’s report has been prepared after extensive consideration of oral and written evidence from a wide range of external experts with special knowledge of the field.

The report states that the advisory council remains of the view that cannabis is harmful and its consumption can lead to a wide range of physical and psychological hazards. Nevertheless, it does not recommend that the classification of cannabis products should be changed on the basis of the results of recent research into the effects on the development of mental illness. Although cannabis is unquestionably harmful, its harmfulness does not equate to that of other class B substances either at the level of the individual or of society.

Published 19 January 2006