Annual breakdown of prosecutions for possession of drugs: FOI release

Information requested

Annual breakdown of the number of prosecutions for cannabis possession over the last five years.

Response

The answer to your question is provided in the following table by financial year:

People prosecuted in Scottish courts for illegal possession of cannabis, where main charge, 2014-15 to 2018-19
Main crime/offence	Drug type	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19
Possession of drugs1	Cannabis	1,694	1,809	1,672	1,237	1,066

1. This does not include 'possession with intent to supply'.
Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database

The Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database is not a live system and the latest available information is for the financial year 2018-19. Statistics are presented on the number of people dealt with by the Scottish Criminal Justice System where proceedings have concluded.

Information for 2019-20 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2019-20 Statistical Bulletin. This is due to be published on 18th May 2021. The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/ForthcomingPubs

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