Convictions for Drug Offences in the UK

"There were 152,451 drug offences where the person was found guilty at court or cautioned in the United Kingdom during 2010 (Table 9.3; ST11). This represents a four per cent increase on the previous year (n=147,013) and resumes the upward trend that was evident between 2005 and 2008. Convictions for almost all drugs apart from cannabis decreased or remained stable with cocaine powder offences decreasing by 11% and ecstasy offences decreasing by 50%. The number of heroin offences remained stable.
"Cannabis offences continued to increase by 13% since the previous year with cannabis offences now accounting for half of all drug cautions and court convictions and wholly responsible for the increase in total drug offences. Cannabis trafficking offences increased by 41% from 11,054 in 2009 to 15,534 in 2010. This is likely to be due to the continued increase in the number of cannabis farm discoveries and related production offences (ACPO 2012; see section 9.2.1 and 10.3.3)."