Since the passing of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act, Britain has had a three-fold classification of illicit drugs, within which substances are categorized according to their perceived dangerousness. In 1971 cannabis was placed in class B, incurring maximum penalties of 5 years imprisonment for possession and 14 years imprisonment for trafficking offenses concerning cannabis. On September 2001 the Home Secretary said that he intended to move cannabis into class C, the least harmful category, which would mean that its possession would no longer be an arrestable offense and that most offenders would be dealt with by a combination of warnings and cautions. This change followed a similar recommendation for legal change by the Independent Inquiry into the Misuse of Drugs Act. Data from public opinion surveys showed that although most people in Britain took drug problems seriously, many doubted the extent to which the police could stop people from using drugs. Moreover, most people made clear distinctions between substances, and widespread support was evident for some form of "decriminalization" of cannabis. Among adults of all ages, cannabis was considered to be the least harmful illicit drug; there was widespread belief that it was less harmful than tobacco or alcohol. The Independent Inquiry's recommendation that the legal classification of cannabis should be downgraded from class B to class C reflected an attempt to bring policy in line with scientific evidence and popular perceptions regarding the harmfulness of illicit drugs. The Government has apparently acknowledged these facts in making the recommended change. 2 tables and 23 references