Is Weed Legal in the UK? Penalties, Medical Cannabis and CBD (2026)

By James Buddsey · Updated October 16, 2026

No, weed is not legal in the UK for recreational use: cannabis is a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, with a maximum of 5 years in prison for possession and 14 years for supply or production. In practice, adults caught with a small amount often get a cannabis warning or a £90 on-the-spot fine. Medical cannabis has been legal on specialist prescription since November 2018, and CBD products with only trace THC are sold legally.

In 2011 we reported that the Liberal Democrats were pushing to decriminalize personal drug possession. More than a decade later, the UK still has not changed the basic law, though medical cannabis is now legal and the debate has returned with a 2025 report from the London Drugs Commission. Here is what the law says, how it is enforced and what has changed. For other countries, see our guide to where weed is legal.

UK Cannabis Laws at a Glance

Is Weed Decriminalized in the UK?

No. Possession remains a criminal offence throughout the UK. What has changed is how police use their discretion. In England and Wales, officers dealing with an adult carrying a small amount for personal use can choose from escalating options: a cannabis warning (which is recorded but not a conviction), then a £90 penalty notice for disorder, and arrest for repeat offences or aggravating factors. The government’s guidance notes that repeat offences may be treated more seriously. Scotland uses recorded police warnings in a similar way. Some English police forces have openly deprioritized small personal grows, but that is local policy, not a change in law.

Tourists face the same rules. There is nowhere in the UK to buy THC cannabis legally without a prescription.

The Class B, Class C, Class B History

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 placed cannabis in Class B. In January 2004 the Labour government moved it down to Class C, the lowest category, and police largely stopped arresting adults for small amounts. Under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the government moved it back to Class B in January 2009, against the advice of its own Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, citing concern about stronger “skunk” cannabis and mental health. It has stayed Class B since.

The 2011 Liberal Democrat Decriminalization Motion

At their autumn conference in September 2011, Liberal Democrat members backed a motion calling for an independent panel to review the Misuse of Drugs Act and to consider decriminalizing possession of drugs for personal use, drawing on Portugal’s approach. Supporters, including campaigner Ewan Hoyle of Liberal Democrats for Drug Policy Reform, argued that criminal records made it harder for people to get help. The UK Drug Policy Commission, an independent body at the time, argued that penalties for possession had not stopped widespread use. The party was then in coalition government with the Conservatives, and the motion did not change national policy. In 2016 the Liberal Democrats became the first major UK party to back a legal, regulated cannabis market, and the Green Party also supports regulation.

Medical Cannabis Since 2018

After high-profile cases involving children with severe epilepsy, including Billy Caldwell and Alfie Dingley, the government rescheduled cannabis-based products for medicinal use. From 1 November 2018, specialist doctors on the General Medical Council’s specialist register can prescribe them. In practice:

• NHS prescriptions are rare. The NHS says medical cannabis can only be prescribed by a specialist hospital doctor, mainly for a few conditions with clear evidence.
• Licensed products: Epidyolex (a purified CBD medicine) for Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, nabilone for chemotherapy-related nausea, and Sativex (nabiximols) for multiple sclerosis spasticity.
• Private clinics prescribe unlicensed cannabis flower and oils to many more patients, for conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety, at the patient’s own cost.

Holding a valid prescription protects you only for the prescribed product. Patients should carry their prescription and keep products in pharmacy packaging. Smoking prescribed flower is not permitted; it is prescribed for vaporizing.

Is CBD Legal in the UK?

Yes, with conditions. CBD itself is not a controlled drug, but most CBD products contain traces of THC or other controlled cannabinoids, which are tightly limited. CBD sold as a food or supplement must also meet Food Standards Agency rules, and sellers cannot make medical claims. The NHS warns that some CBD products sold online may be illegal to possess or supply because they contain THC, and that quality varies. Buy from established UK retailers.

Will the UK Legalize Cannabis?

Not soon. In May 2025 the London Drugs Commission, set up by Mayor Sadiq Khan and chaired by Lord Falconer, recommended moving natural cannabis out of the Misuse of Drugs Act into the Psychoactive Substances Act. That would keep supply and production illegal but stop penalizing possession of small amounts for personal use. The commission explicitly did not call for full legalization, and the national government quickly said it had no plans to change the law. Polls show majority support for some reform, but neither of the two largest parties backs legalization. Drug policy is set at Westminster, so cities and devolved governments cannot legalize on their own.

For how a legal market works in practice, see our guides to Washington and Oregon marijuana laws, or the wider cannabis laws hub.

Is Weed Legal in the UK FAQ

For adults 21+ in legal states. General information, not legal advice. Laws abroad change often; confirm with official sources before you travel.