Mellowing out on pot
The week's news at a glance.
London
Possession of small amounts of marijuana is no longer punishable in Britain as of this week, at least for first-time offenders. Pot was reclassified as a class C drug, putting it on the same level as steroids and tranquilizers. That means police will generally ignore casual use, particularly in private homes. Dealing the drug, though—even just a few ounces—could still bring a two-year prison sentence, and smoking in public will result in a ticket. Pot smoking is widespread in Britain. An estimated one in 10 Britons ages 16 to 59—about 3.3 million people—uses the drug each year. Among youth, it’s extremely popular: One in four of those ages 15 to 24 smoked marijuana in 2002.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Music reviews: Bruce Springsteen and Benson Boone
Feature "Tracks II: The Lost Albums" and "American Heart"
-
Why passkeys are the next frontier in digital security
A disruptive new technology promises to put passwords to bed forever — but not yet