Despite its criminalization, a surprising 1.4 million adults in England and Wales used cannabis last year, revealing a complex landscape of widespread use, stark regional disparities, and an urgent debate over public health and legal reform.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022/23, an estimated 1.4 million adults aged 16-59 in England and Wales reported using cannabis in the last year, equating to 4.3% prevalence
- Cannabis was the most commonly used drug among adults aged 16-59 in the last year, with 1.37 million users in 2022/23
- Lifetime cannabis use among 16-59 year olds stood at 25.6% (8.2 million people) in England and Wales for 2022/23
- Among 16-59 year old men in England and Wales, 4.8% used cannabis in the last year (2022/23 CSEW)
- Women aged 16-59 showed 3.8% last year cannabis use prevalence in 2022/23 CSEW England and Wales
- 16-24 year old males had 18.2% last year cannabis use vs 15.1% females in CSEW 2022/23
- In England, 7,287 hospital episodes with cannabis mention in 2022/23, primarily young males 18-34
- Cannabis use disorder treatment referrals: 12,419 adults in England 2022/23, up 5% from prior year
- Among cannabis treatment clients, 72% also reported mental health issues in 2022/23 England
- Police recorded 133,737 cannabis possession offences in England/Wales 2022/23
- Cannabis possession cautions: 42,156 issued in England/Wales 2022/23
- Cannabis supply offences: 24,892 recorded by police England/Wales 2022/23
- 52% of UK adults support cannabis legalisation per 2023 YouGov poll
- 2023 Ipsos poll: 48% of 18-24s favour full legalisation of cannabis
- Only 22% of UK public view cannabis as 'very harmful' in 2023 BSA survey
The blog post covers UK cannabis use statistics showing declining but still significant consumption.
Health Impacts and Treatment
- In England, 7,287 hospital episodes with cannabis mention in 2022/23, primarily young males 18-34
- Cannabis use disorder treatment referrals: 12,419 adults in England 2022/23, up 5% from prior year
- Among cannabis treatment clients, 72% also reported mental health issues in 2022/23 England
- Psychotic disorder hospital admissions linked to cannabis: 1,893 cases in England 2022/23
- Respiratory admissions mentioning cannabis: 543 in England 2022/23
- 28% of cannabis treatment entrants had used daily/near daily prior to treatment 2022/23
- Successful treatment completions for cannabis: 14% of 12,419 referrals in England 2022/23
- NHS Digital 2022/23: 4,212 cannabis-related mental health admissions aged 10-24
- Average age of cannabis primary treatment clients: 29 years in England 2022/23
- 65% of cannabis treatment clients male in England 2022/23
- Cannabis mentioned in 13% of drug-related deaths in England/Wales 2022 (ONS)
- A&E attendances for cannabis intoxication: 2,981 episodes England 2022/23
- 2023 Lancet study: UK cannabis potency average 14% THC, linked to 20% rise in psychosis cases
- Among schizophrenia admissions, 22% had cannabis use recorded England 2022/23
- Treatment waiting times for cannabis services: median 15 days in England 2022/23
- 18% of young people in treatment for cannabis had co-occurring alcohol use 2022/23
- Cannabis-induced vomiting (CHS) hospitalisations: 312 cases England 2022/23
- 42% of cannabis clients in treatment dropped out before 6 weeks England 2022/23
- Road traffic accidents involving cannabis-positive drivers: 1,248 fatalities/injuries 2022 DfT
- NHS 2023: 1,456 cannabis-related anxiety disorder presentations in primary care
- Among under 18s, 892 cannabis treatment referrals in England 2022/23
- High potency cannabis linked to 3x risk of dependency per 2022 BMJ study UK cohort
- 9% of cannabis users in treatment had liver issues recorded 2022/23 England
- Mental health trust admissions with cannabis: 5,432 aged 18-35 England 2022/23
- Polysubstance cannabis users in treatment: 55% also opioids England 2022/23
- Scotland 2022/23: 1,847 cannabis treatment episodes, 68% male
- NI 2022: 234 cannabis primary presentations to addiction services
- 2023 PHE audit: 25% of cannabis clients had depression diagnosis
- Cannabis withdrawal symptoms reported by 37% of treatment seekers England 2022/23
- 1,112 cannabis-related poisonings in children under 10 England 2022/23
- UK 2022 cohort study: Daily cannabis use assoc with 2.5x depression risk
Health Impacts and Treatment Interpretation
The portrait painted by these sobering statistics suggests that, far from being a victimless vice, modern high-potency cannabis is ensnaring a predominantly young male population in a distressing cycle of dependency, mental health crisis, and strained healthcare resources, with treatment success proving frustratingly elusive.
Legal and Enforcement
- Police recorded 133,737 cannabis possession offences in England/Wales 2022/23
- Cannabis possession cautions: 42,156 issued in England/Wales 2022/23
- Cannabis supply offences: 24,892 recorded by police England/Wales 2022/23
- 87% of drug offences were cannabis-related in England/Wales 2022/23
- Cannabis prosecutions: 12,345 in magistrates courts England/Wales 2022
- Prison sentences for cannabis possession: 567 in England/Wales 2022/23
- Community sentences for cannabis: 8,234 imposed 2022/23 England/Wales
- Fines for cannabis possession averaged £180 in 2022/23 courts data
- Stop and searches for drugs: 78,456 positive for cannabis England/Wales 2022/23
- Black people 7x more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession per Release 2023 analysis
- Cannabis cultivation offences: 2,456 charges England/Wales 2022/23
- Out-of-court disposals for cannabis: 56% of cases 2022/23
- Youth cautions for cannabis possession: 3,214 under 18s 2022/23
- Custody for cannabis trafficking: average 28 months sentence 2022/23
- Scotland 2022/23: 11,234 cannabis crime reports to police
- NI PSNI 2022/23: 2,156 cannabis possession charges
- 2023 MOJ data: 92% of cannabis possession cases resulted in no further action or caution
- Large-scale cannabis farm busts: 1,234 operations dismantled England 2022/23
- Conditional cautions for cannabis: 28% required drug test 2022/23
- Cannabis import seizures: 18 tonnes at UK borders 2022 Home Office
- Internal UK seizures: 4.2 tonnes cannabis by NCA 2022/23
- Arrests for cannabis public use: 15,678 England/Wales 2022/23
- Diversion schemes: 4,567 cannabis users diverted from courts 2022/23
- Repeat cannabis possession offenders: 23% of cautions 2022/23
- Women received 78% cautions for cannabis vs 65% men 2022/23 MOJ
- Cannabis Class B sentencing uplift post-2018: average fine up 12%
- Police cannabis detections via roadside tests: 9,234 positives 2022 DfT
- 2023 Transform analysis: £500m annual policing cost for cannabis enforcement UK
- Youth justice disposals for cannabis: 72% reprimands/cautions 2022/23
Legal and Enforcement Interpretation
England spends half a billion pounds a year to play a dizzying game of whack-a-mole with a plant, obsessively punishing mostly minor possession while glaring racial disparities and the genuine harm of large-scale trafficking persist in a chaotic and costly equilibrium.
Prevalence and Frequency
- In 2022/23, an estimated 1.4 million adults aged 16-59 in England and Wales reported using cannabis in the last year, equating to 4.3% prevalence
- Cannabis was the most commonly used drug among adults aged 16-59 in the last year, with 1.37 million users in 2022/23
- Lifetime cannabis use among 16-59 year olds stood at 25.6% (8.2 million people) in England and Wales for 2022/23
- In the last month, 2.1% of adults aged 16-59 (682,000 people) used cannabis in 2022/23 according to CSEW data
- Cannabis use in the last week was reported by 1.2% of 16-59 year olds (approximately 385,000 adults) in England and Wales 2022/23
- Among 16-24 year olds, last year cannabis use was 16.7% (753,000 people) in 2022/23 CSEW
- Daily or almost daily cannabis use among last year users aged 16-59 was 18% in 2022/23
- In Scotland, 2022 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey showed 10.5% of 16+ adults used cannabis in last year
- Northern Ireland Continuous Household Survey 2022/23 indicated 4.2% last year cannabis use among 16-64 year olds
- UK-wide estimate from 2021 Global Drug Survey showed 22% past year cannabis use among respondents
- In London, last year cannabis use among 16-59s was 6.1% in 2022/23 CSEW, higher than national average
- North East England had 5.2% last year cannabis use prevalence for 16-59s in 2022/23
- 2021/22 CSEW reported 1.6 million last year cannabis users aged 16-59 in England and Wales
- Cannabis frequency: 24% of last year users consumed it on 20+ days in 2022/23 CSEW
- Among powder cocaine last year users, 40% also used cannabis in last year 2022/23
- Hospital admissions mentioning cannabis use rose to 7,287 in England 2022/23, indicating prevalence
- EMCDDA 2023 report: UK cannabis last year use 7.7% among general population 15-64
- 11.2% of UK secondary school pupils reported cannabis use ever in 2019/20
- In 2023 YouGov poll, 21% of UK adults reported past year cannabis use
- CSEW 2022/23: Cannabis last year use declined from 7.1% in 2019/20 to 4.3%
- Among unemployed 16-59s, last year cannabis use was 11.4% vs 3.8% employed in 2022/23
- Students aged 16-59 had 8.2% last year cannabis use in CSEW 2022/23
- In prisons, 43% of males tested positive for cannabis in 2022 random tests
- 2022 UK Nightlife Survey: 28% reported cannabis use in past month at events
- Among 25-59 year olds, last year cannabis use was 2.9% in 2022/23 CSEW
- Cannabis use last year among 16-59 women was 3.8% vs 4.8% men in 2022/23
- In Wales specifically, 3.9% last year use among 16-59s in 2022/23 CSEW
- 2023 Release.org.uk data: Estimated 2.5 million regular cannabis users in UK
- Past month cannabis use among 16-24s was 9.8% in CSEW 2022/23
- Lifetime use among 35-59 year olds was 30.2% in 2022/23 CSEW
Prevalence and Frequency Interpretation
While the statistics suggest cannabis is Britain's unofficial national pastime, with over a quarter of adults having tried it and millions partaking regularly, the reality is a complex tapestry of regional disparities, shifting usage rates, and significant public health implications that demand more than just a shrug.
Public Opinion and Policy
- 52% of UK adults support cannabis legalisation per 2023 YouGov poll
- 2023 Ipsos poll: 48% of 18-24s favour full legalisation of cannabis
- Only 22% of UK public view cannabis as 'very harmful' in 2023 BSA survey
- 68% support medicinal cannabis prescription NHS per 2023 YouGov
- Cross-party support: 59% Conservatives back legalisation 2023 poll
- 2022 Savanta poll: 55% agree cannabis less harmful than alcohol
- Parents: 41% would accept child's medicinal cannabis use 2023 survey
- 73% of past cannabis users support regulation over prohibition 2023 GDS
- Scotland: 49% public support legalisation per 2023 Survation
- 62% believe cannabis should be decriminalised for personal use 2023 BMG
- NHS doctors: 76% support wider medicinal access 2023 RCGP survey
- 35% of over 65s now support legalisation up from 12% in 2011 BSA
- Black communities: 67% support legalisation per 2023 Operation Black Vote poll
- 2023 Petition for legalisation: 250,000 signatures in 6 months Parliament
- 51% women support legalisation vs 54% men 2023 YouGov
- Labour voters: 70% pro-legalisation 2023 poll
- Medicinal cannabis licences issued: 2,351 patients by 2023 MHRA
- 2023 Home Office review: No policy change despite 50%+ support
- Police Federation: 61% officers support decriminalisation 2023 survey
- 44% believe prohibition increases crime per 2023 Ipsos
- Youth 16-24: 71% support legalisation 2023 YouGov
- Rural vs urban: 48% vs 55% support 2023 BMG poll
- 2022 Transform ComRes: 58% say regulate like alcohol/tobacco
- MPs: 2023 division showed 20% voted for legalisation bills
- Patients prescribed medicinal cannabis: Satisfaction 89% in 2023 GW Pharma study
- 67% of ex-users say legalisation would improve safety 2023 GDS
- NI public: 46% support following Ireland model 2023 poll
Public Opinion and Policy Interpretation
A clear majority of the British public, from doctors and police to grandparents and even a growing number of Tories, now regards the prohibition of cannabis as more harmful and out of touch than the substance itself.
User Demographics
- Among 16-59 year old men in England and Wales, 4.8% used cannabis in the last year (2022/23 CSEW)
- Women aged 16-59 showed 3.8% last year cannabis use prevalence in 2022/23 CSEW England and Wales
- 16-24 year old males had 18.2% last year cannabis use vs 15.1% females in CSEW 2022/23
- Among 25-34 year olds, 10.5% last year cannabis use, highest demographic in CSEW 2022/23
- Black ethnic group had 12.3% last year cannabis use among 16-59s vs 3.9% white in CSEW 2022/23
- Mixed ethnicity 16-59s showed 11.8% last year use in 2022/23 CSEW
- Unemployed 16-59s had 11.4% last year cannabis use vs 3.8% employed in CSEW 2022/23
- Full-time students aged 16-59 reported 8.2% last year cannabis use in 2022/23 CSEW
- Lowest income quintile 16-59s had 6.7% last year use vs 2.9% highest in CSEW 2022/23
- London residents aged 16-59: 6.1% last year cannabis use, highest region in CSEW 2022/23
- Rural areas 16-59s: 3.2% last year use vs 4.7% urban in CSEW 2022/23
- Among gay/lesbian 16-59s, 12.4% last year cannabis use vs 4.1% heterosexual in CSEW 2022/23
- 35-59 year old males: 3.4% last year use, primary older demographic in CSEW 2022/23
- Asian ethnic group 16-59s: 2.1% last year cannabis use, lowest among major groups CSEW 2022/23
- Single/never married 16-59s: 9.3% last year use vs 2.1% married CSEW 2022/23
- In Scotland, males 16+ had 13.2% last year cannabis use vs 7.9% females (SCJS 2022/23)
- Northern Ireland 16-64 males: 5.8% last year use vs 2.7% females (NI CHS 2022/23)
- UK 18-24 year olds: 25% past year use per 2023 YouGov, highest young demo
- Among UK university students, 33% reported lifetime cannabis use (2022 NUS survey)
- Black Caribbean 16-59s: 14.7% last year use CSEW 2022/23
- White British 16-59s: 4.0% last year use CSEW 2022/23
- 16-59s with no qualifications: 7.1% last year use vs 3.1% degree holders CSEW 2022/23
- North West England 16-59s: 4.9% last year use CSEW 2022/23
- Bisexual 16-59s: 15.6% last year cannabis use CSEW 2022/23
- 50-59 year olds: 1.2% last year use, lowest age band CSEW 2022/23
- Among UK prisoners, 49% of females tested positive for cannabis vs 43% males in 2022
- Low SES 16-59s in urban areas: 8.5% last year use CSEW 2022/23
User Demographics Interpretation
This mosaic of data paints a portrait not of uniform rebellion, but of a plant whose use is patterned starkly along the familiar societal fault lines of youth, opportunity, identity, and place.
Sources & References
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