History

Cannabis was often used for medicinal and recreational uses up until the 1928 Drugs Act. This legislative act made cannabis cultivation and use illegal. Cannabis is classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971 as a Class B drug. Under this act, Class A substances are classified as the most harmful and Class C as the least. 

In the UK, the hemp plant has been subject to various hyperbolic regulations depending on the political climate and time period. Under the order of monarchs like King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I, hemp was an incredibly important plant that British farmers were required to grow by law to sustain both the country and the Navy.

Up until the start of the twentieth century, cannabis consumption was completely legal in the UK and was even reportedly consumed by members of the Royal Family. So, you may be wondering, ‘Why was cannabis banned in the UK?’. Let's find out...

The rich history of medical cannabis can be found in some of the earth’s earliest records, where the plant appears under a variety of names (depending on the text's original language). Dating back over 4,000 years, records from ancient China to the modern day repeatedly reference the medical potential and associated benefits of the cannabis plant on the human body.