Even though cannabis has been re-categorised in the United Kingdom as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the drug will still remain illegal and it will continue to be an offence to be in possession. In most cases the drug will be confiscated by the police and a warning given.

Medical experts at the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) said the current classification of cannabis alongside substances like amphetamines was "disproportionate" to its harmfulness.

ACMD chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins said his report was not saying cannabis was harmless; "Cannabis is associated with some risks of health but the council concludes that these are less than the risks posed by other Class B drugs such as amphetamine," he said. The report found the use of cannabis, which has risen sharply over the past 20 years, does not cause any major health problems and rarely causes serious illness in previously healthy people.