Recreational drugs are widely available all over The UK and the majority of them being relatively cheaper compared to the legally sold alcohol leads to increasing popularity of these drugs with the students. Although most of them illegal, obtaining drugs in the student dorms is as easy as ordering Chinese take away.

Most widely used illegal drug in Britain and most popular amongst the students is Cannabis. Other popular drugs to follow are - Ecstasy, Speed, LSD, GHB and GBL, Magic Mushrooms, Ketamin and less popular with students but otherwise widely in use Cocaine, Crack and Heroin.  

Drugs are classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act in 1971 into 3 categories - Class A, B and C, where class A drugs attracts the most sever punishments and fines.

For possession of a class A drug, such as Heroin, Crack, Cocaine, Ecstasy, LSD and Magic Mushrooms, one can be imprisoned up to 7 years and unlimited fine, whilst for dealing, and this includes supplying drugs to friends, the imprisonment punishment can be for life.
For class B drugs, such as Speed and Cannabis, possession imprisonment is reduced to up to 5 years and unlimited fine, whilst supplying can be up to 14 years and unlimited fine.
Class C drugs, such as Ketamin and GHB, can get you imprisoned for 2 years for possession and up to 14 years for supplying.

There are other widely used drugs by students that are not classified and are not illegal in the UK, such as Khat (Herbal substances with stimulating properties similar to, but less powerful than amphetamines), Poppers (liquid chemicals called alkyl nitrites, consumed by sniffing the liquid from the bottle) and GBL (or gammabutyrolactone, a common solvent available in shops, has a sedative effects and thus can become punishable with up to 10 years in prison if used in connection to sexual assaults).

Cannabis has been reclassified from Class C back to Class B in January this year due to the most recent domination of Skunk, a much stronger version of the drug on the UK market that accounts for more than 80% of Cannabis available on the streets. 

Only a few of the illegal drugs have non-addictive properties (LSD and Magic Mushrooms) and the Poppers and Khat from the legal drugs. All other drugs can cause high dependence, physical and psychological.  Speed, Coke, and the Heroin as highly addictive, Ecstasy  and Ketamin can develop psychological dependence, whilst the dependence on Cannabis is influenced by a number of factors, but mainly how much and how long Cannabis has been used for.

Although cannabis is a Class B drug, the police might not arrest you if they find you in possession of the drug the first 2 times. Caught for the 3rd time will lead to being arrested. 
There is no offence if you are found in possession of a drug that you didn't know was on your person (e.g. a friend put it in your pocket) but you might have to prove this later in court.

Supplying drugs is a much more serious offence and this can include even giving drugs to a friend. If you are caught with drugs, saying that some are for a friend makes matter worse as you could also be convicted for supply!

Eli Markovska 17/08/09