Applicable to: England and Wales

In 2004, the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA 2004) published a report examining the impact of the change in legislation surrounding cannabis in London.  The report suggested that although the number of cannabis offenders dealt with has increased by 31 per cent (from 6,231 over the period April to August 2003 to 8,148 over the same period in 2004), the number of offenders who are arrested has decreased by 53 per cent (from 6,231 to 3,307).  Since the change in legislation, offenders are increasingly managed through alternative means such as formal warnings.  A similar trend is emerging in the rest of England and Wales and it has been estimated that this change is saving approximately 199,000 hours of police time in a year (Home Office 2005).

References
Home Office (2005). Cannabis reclassification. Press briefing reference: stat002/2005. 28 January 2005. Home Office, London.

MPA (Metropolitan Police Authority) (2004). Evaluation report following the reclassification of cannabis. MPA, London. (Please click here to access the full report.)

Related glossary entries
Cannabis health information campaign
Cannabis offenders before reclassification
Drugs Act (2005)
Misuse of Drugs Act (1971)
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - cannabis reclassification