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	Last updated: Thursday 4 Sep 2008	1XTRA NEWS: THE REAL TALK OF THE STREETS

Homegrown - Cannabis

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Cannabis is the UK's most widely used illegal drug with millions of people smoking it regularly. As the government moves towards reclassifying it - 1Xtra lifts the lid on ganja.

More than 60% of the weed smoked in the UK is also grown here. Ten years ago that figure was 11%. Overall use has dropped since it was downgraded from class B to C in 2004 despite concerns at the time that more people would be tempted to try it.

Four years on and the Government's recommended that it goes back to class B. The switch would see the maximum prison sentence for possession rise from two years to five. The 14 year maximum for dealers is the same as for class C drugs so won't change.

We hear from a former dealer who made £50,000 a year selling marijuana and also from someone who says smoking weed affected his schizophrenia. We also hear from Vernon Coker from the Home Office who is responsible for drugs policy.