160,000 convicted on possession of small amount of drugs in past decade
Around 160,000 received criminal convictions for possession of drugs for personal use in the past 10 years.
The today reports many of those convicted of the offence do not usually receive a prison sentence, but do get a criminal record.
It is thought that those who are convicted of possession of drugs for personal use – mainly young people – experience difficulties finding jobs and cannot apply for work in non-EU countries as a result.
The paper also reports that the sale of home cultivation equipment for cannabis has become increasingly popular here, with growers facing a 14-year prison sentence.
