HC Deb 30 November 2000 vol 357 cc931-2W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what volumes of(a) cannabis and (b) skunk cannabis have been seized in each of the last 10 years. [140860]

Mr. Charles Clarke

Drug seizure returns do not usually distinguish 'skunk' from other types of herbal cannabis. Cannabis is classified into four categories—herbal, liquid (oil), resin, and plants. Information for the quantities of cannabis seized in the United Kingdom for the last 10 years for which data are available is given in the table. This is taken from the Home Office Bulletin on Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics.

Quantities of cannabis seized in the United Kingdom 1989–98
Herbal(kgs.) Plants(no.) Resin(kgs.) Liquid(kgs.)
1989 6,780.9 6,263 52,577.9 10.4
1990 9,337.5 34,299 21,549.5 1.6
1991 9,525.1 8,896 22,676.0 2.5
1992 11,391.1 11,839 39,705.3 6.8
1993 11,976.0 40,589 41,584.8 13.2
1994 11,578.9 57,846 51,430.1 11.8
1995 13,871.5 94,202 44,607.0 5.6
1996 34,189.1 116,218 66,936.7 17.5
1997 31,120.2 114,988 118,849.2 26.6
1998 21,659.5 71,970 85,822.9 7.4

Source:

Drugs Research Unit, Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate