The Real Reason Cannabis Was Made Illegal in the UK 

It has been nearly 100 years since cannabis was made illegal in the UK!

While it was re-legalised for medical use in 2018, there are currently no plans to loosen the laws on recreational cannabis use in the UK.

But why was cannabis ever made illegal in the UK in the first place?

Introduction of cannabis into the UK

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years all over the world including in India, China and the Middle East, with records showing it was first domesticated 12,000 years ago in China and used ritually nearly 5,000 years ago.

However, it didn’t show in Britain until sources suggest it was brought to Britain from Asia at around 800 BC. This type of cannabis wasn’t grown for its buds, though. It was hemp, which is simply a name for cannabis that’s grown for industrial purposes, like rope and textiles.

By the 12th century, hemp was widely grown as its fibres were strong and durable, making ideal ships’ sails, rigging, ropes, sacks, and even clothes and uniforms. 

In 1533, King Henry VIII started mandating that farmers grow hemp, while farmers in the 16th century were required to sow a quarter of an acre of hemp for every 60 acres they owned.

First medical use of cannabis in the UK

It was Limerick-born doctor Sir. William Brooke O’Shaughnessy who introduced cannabis into Western medicine in 1841, bringing back cannabis flower and seeds from India, where he had been studying the local use of cannabis and other plants.

By 1843, there were published reports of the effectiveness of cannabis for a variety of conditions, including cholera, tetanus, joint pain, and seizures in infants.  

For several decades thereafter, cannabis was easily accessible in pharmacies and even praised by pharmaceutical companies as a cure-all for menstrual pain, headaches, nausea and other ailments. 

Between 1840 and 1900 over 100 articles appeared in scientific journals describing the medical properties of cannabis.

International control

Cannabis first became subject to international control in a controversial and murky way as a result of the League of Nations’ 2nd Opium conference back in 1925.

The conference was supposed to focus on opium and cocaine, but a dispute between the American and British-Indian delegations concerning restrictions on opium led to an Egyptian diplomat suggesting that hashish should also be included.

However, the suggestion was not based on health concerns. It was driven by a desire to limit the export of Indian hemp to Egypt, which had grown substantially at the expense of Egypt’s main cash crop, cotton.

The motion was passed with support from the Americans and small nations, leading to restrictions on the export of Indian hemp and its derivatives.

When was cannabis made illegal in the UK? 

In the early 20th century, there was a growing concern among some members of the British government and the public about the perceived negative effects of drug use, particularly the use of cannabis by working-class immigrants.  

Cannabis was also associated with jazz culture and the counterculture of the time, which many people viewed as a threat to traditional values. 

Based on these social, economic, and political factors, the UK government passed the Dangerous Drugs Act in 1928, which classified cannabis as a Class B drug, making it illegal to possess or distribute.  

This law was further strengthened in 1971 with the passing of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which made cannabis a Class B controlled substance, putting it in the same category as drugs like amphetamines. 

Read: Will Cannabis Be Made A Class A Drug In The UK?

Reasons why cannabis was made illegal in the UK

The decision to make cannabis illegal in the UK in 1928 was influenced by a number of factors.

1. Fear

One of the main reasons for making cannabis illegal was concerns about its potential negative health effects. At the time, there was limited scientific understanding of the drug and its effects, but some experts and members of the public believed that it could lead to a range of negative outcomes, such as insanity, addiction, and criminal behaviour.

2. International pressure

Another reason was pressure from other countries that had already banned the drug. The UK was a signatory to the International Opium Convention of 1912, which committed signatories to control the trade in opium and other dangerous drugs. Some other countries had already banned cannabis, and the UK was under pressure to follow suit.

3. Discrimination

There were moral and racial prejudices that played a role in the decision to criminalise cannabis, in the U.S and the UK.

Some politicians and members of the press at the time associated the drug with immigrants and marginalised groups, and claimed that it led to immoral or criminal behaviour. They also claimed that the drug was a great danger to the youth and the society as a whole.

Read: 10 Things Everyone In The UK Needs To Know About Cannabis

When did the War On Drugs begin?

During the late 60s/early 70s, there was an international push to make make drugs illegal as part of a global war on drugs, led by Richard Nixon and the United States. 

The UK government followed the United States’ lead and prohibited the use of many drugs, officially launching the War on Drugs in 1971.  

The U.S. was seen as a close ally and influential partner of the UK, and the British government likely felt pressure to align its drug policies with those of its major ally.  

There was also a shared belief among many government officials and members of the public in both the US and the UK that drug use, particularly of cannabis and other illicit substances, was a major social problem that needed to be addressed.  

However, in the decades that followed, the fight for cannabis decriminalisation has increased since the beginning of the war on drugs and continues to gain momentum. 

With more and more research being conducted, more people are becoming aware of the potential benefits of cannabis. 

Read: 10 Things That Will Happen When The UK Legalises Recreational Cannabis

When will the UK legalise cannabis?

When it comes to the question of when the UK will legalise cannabis for recreational use, there is no clear answer. However, it is worth noting that the legal and societal landscape surrounding cannabis is rapidly changing, both in the UK and internationally.

In 2018, the UK made cannabis legal for medical use under certain conditions, a significant step in the direction of legalisation. This decision was based on mounting evidence of the drug’s medicinal benefits, particularly for conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

Additionally, the UK’s booming CBD industry, which is valued at over £1 billion, also shows that there is a growing interest and acceptance of cannabis-related products in the country.

Cannabis has been legalised for recreational use in countries such as Canada and Thailand, and the United States is also relaxing its laws in many states. This trend towards legalisation is likely to put pressure on the UK government to consider similar measures.

However, the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use is still a contentious issue in the UK, with many politicians and members of the public opposing it. There are concerns about the potential negative effects of legalisation, such as increased crime and mental health problems.

Additionally, the government may be hesitant to make such a controversial move without the support of the public.

Read: Will Cannabis Ever Be Legal In The UK? 

Is hemp legal in the UK?

Hemp was re-legalised in the UK in 1993. Meaning currently, hemp is legal to grow, as long as it never produces more than 0.2% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and is grown from approved seeds.

While hemp (simply low-THC cannabis traditionally grown for industrial uses) is non-intoxicating and poses no risk of abuse, it is still (needlessly) highly regulated due to its association with THC-rich cannabis.

The UK government has a strict licensing system for hemp cultivation, which includes strict regulations on the THC content of the plants. This is to ensure that the hemp grown in the UK cannot be used for recreational drug use.

However, this also means that farmers are not allowed to use the flowering tops of hemp plants, where cannabinoids like CBD (cannabidiol) are produced. This is despite the fact that CBD is legal in the UK, meaning the entire UK CBD market is made from foreign-grown hemp, while UK-grown hemp flower is being destroyed.

This situation is causing frustration among UK hemp farmers, as they are not able to take advantage of the growing market for CBD products, even though hemp is a sustainable and versatile crop that has many industrial uses, such as in textiles, construction materials and as a source of biofuel.

Hemp was also re-legalised in the U.S in 2018, while in many European nations, small markets for hemp still exist.

Read: 10 Reasons Why The UK Should Have A Regulated Hemp Flower Industry

Conclusion

In conclusion, while it has been nearly 100 years since cannabis was made illegal in the UK, the reasons behind this decision are still relevant today.

The decision was influenced by a combination of factors such as fears about the potential negative effects of cannabis, pressure from other countries that had already banned the drug, and moral and racial prejudices.

Despite the re-legalisation of cannabis for medical use in 2018, and growing evidence of the drug’s benefits, there are currently no plans to loosen the laws on recreational cannabis use in the UK.

However, as the legal and societal landscape surrounding cannabis continues to evolve, it is important to consider the historical context and motivations behind the decision to criminalise the drug and to re-evaluate whether current laws are still appropriate.

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