Police have explained why they won't be arresting anyone who is smoking cannabis in Bristol this 420. Every year on April 20, people gather to take the drug as part of a celebration, with Castle Park being an unofficial hotspot as hundreds of people gathered there today.
The day has become synonymous with the drug, after the strange tradition began in America. But police in Bristol have said that they won't usually arrest anyone for simple possession of the drug, which is illegal in the UK for recreational use.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Constabulary said the force's focus is on those who supply cannabis, and people who are found in possession of the drug will not usually be sanctioned criminally. The spokesperson said: "We are very aware of the harm to individuals and communities resulting from the supply of illegal substances.
Read more: Current UK cannabis laws as 420 celebrations today call for legalisation
"Our focus is very much on those who supply drugs. Individuals who come to police attention for simple possession of drugs will usually be dealt with by a referral to the drug education programme, with no criminal justice sanction."
The maximum penalty for possessing cannabis, which is a class-B drug, is five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Additionally, since cannabis falls under the discretionary warning scheme, police can decide to issue a warning or on-the-spot fine of £90 for possession of the drug, rather than prosecute you. With repeated offences or aggressive behaviour, however, this eventuality becomes less likely.
If you're found guilty of supplying or producing the drug, you can get a maximum of 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Your penalty in any instance will depend on the amount of the drug you have, as well as other factors such as whether you're taking it yourself or, for example, selling it to others.
If you deal the drug in a home or bar, for example, the landlord or manager can be prosecuted. And according to Frank, the drugs advice service, driving while high on cannabis is "dangerous and illegal. If you’re caught driving under the influence, you may receive a heavy fine, driving ban, or prison sentence."
The origins of 420 reportedly lie in a true story about a group of school kids in 1971 California who planned to search for an abandoned cannabis crop, meeting at 4.20pm. The story was popularised by High Times, an American magazine and cannabis brand, and 420 is now celebrated as a counterculture holiday across the world, with 4.20pm being the zenith of the day.
