Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to police forces on the evidential threshold for taking enforcement action following repeated reports of cannabis use at residential properties.

Cannabis is controlled as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, the maximum penalty for possession is up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both; and the maximum penalty for supply and production is up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Policing of cannabis offences is an operational matter for police forces, and we expect them to enforce the law.

On 6 October, we published updated ASB statutory guidance ahead of commencement of the provisions in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 on 26 October. The guidance will provide frontline practitioners clarity on the new powers and processes coming into force on 26 October, helping police, councils, housing providers and courts implement the reforms consistently and effectively. This includes powers that may be used to address persistent anti-social behaviour linked to issues such as drug-related nuisance, where the relevant legal tests are met.