http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib...0/rp00-074.pdf

A. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA)
The MDA and its associated Regulations, the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985,9 lay down the circumstances in the UK in which it is lawful to import, produce, supply, possess with intent to supply, and possess drugs of misuse ?? ??controlled? drugs. There are provisions within the Act for the Home Secretary to change the classification of drugs, through delegated legislation. Any submission by the Home Secretary for changes to the legislation by Order in Council or Regulation must be preceded by consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. This is the statutory body which keeps under review drugs which are, or are likely to be misused. It can appoint expert committees to consider specific issues and advises the Government on measures necessary for the prevention of drug misuse.

1. Classes and penalties
The penalties applicable to offences involving the different drugs are graded broadly according to the social harm attributable to a drug when it is misused and for this purpose the drugs are defined in three classes: A, B and C.

Class A Offences involving those in Class A attract the highest penalties ?? a maximum of seven years and/or unlimited fine for possession; life and/or unlimited fine for production or trafficking. A mandatory seven year sentence is now the penalty for a third conviction for trafficking.10 This class includes the more potent of the opioid painkillers (heroin, morphine, methadone11, dipipanone, pethidine), hallucinogens (eg LSD, ecstasy) and the stimulant cocaine. Any Class B drug prepared for injection counts as Class A.

Class B has lower penalties: a maximum of five years and/or unlimited fine for possession; fourteen years and/or unlimited fine for production or trafficking. It includes herbal cannabis, cannabis resin, less potent opioids (codeine, pentazocine), strong synthetic stimulants (eg oral amphetamines), and sedatives (eg barbiturates).

Class C has the lowest penalties: a maximum of two years and/or unlimited fine for possession; five years and/or unlimited fine for trafficking. It includes tranquillisers, some less potent stimulants, and mild opioid analgesics (eg buprenorphine which is used in the treatment of opioid dependency). It also includes liquid cannabis, cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives (THC) (as of Jan 29, 2004).

Most offences involving drugs are triable either way, that is, summarily by magistrates or on indictment with a jury at a Crown Court. Less serious offences are usually dealt with by magistrates' courts, where sentences cannot exceed six months and/or £5,000 fine, or three months and/or fine for less serious offences. Eighty five per cent of all drug offenders are convicted of unlawful possession.13 Although maximum penalties are severe, just over 20 per cent of offenders receive a custodial sentence (even fewer actually go to prison), and nearly 3/4 of fines are £50 or less.14

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theissues/...580574,00.html

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ne..._cannabis.html