Mellowing out on pot

last updated 8 January 2015

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.