How much cannabis is consumed every day in London?

The inspiration for this piece comes from the popular myth that "London gets through a ton of weed a night". The aim of this article is to test the truth behind the myth.

The inspiration for this piece comes from the popular myth that "London gets through a ton of weed a night". The aim of this article is to test the truth behind the myth.

Population of London and the surrounding area

London is well-known for being the Cannabis Capital of the UK, with areas such as Camden and Brixton being particularly infamous for public consumption and open sale. The population of London is just over 8.17 million (2011 census), but if the entire London urban area is factored in, the total population is just over 11.9 million.

In fact, at the most generous count, which includes the entire metropolitan area of London and the surrounding "commuter belt" area, the total population is over 15 million (2010 figure), and is steadily rising with every year that passes. 

With the UK population at 62.64 million (2011, World Bank), the population of London makes up 13% of the total. The London urban area comprises 19%, and the total metropolitan area makes up 24% - almost a full quarter of total UK population.

Percentage of UK residents that consume cannabis

Estimates of the number of UK residents that regularly smoke cannabis vary wildly, but it is generally accepted that around 6.9% of those aged between 16-59 consumed cannabis strains such as the now renown Skunk within the last year. Interestingly, this figure is considerably lower than the 1996 peak of 9.5%, although the figure has gradually risen since the 2009/10 low of 6.6%.

 6.9% of the UK population translates to approximately 4.32 million individuals; 1.04 million (24%) could therefore reasonably be expected to live in the London metropolitan area. However, it is very likely that London contains a relatively disproportionate number of cannabis users compared to the rest of the UK, due to the concentration of various communities that traditionally use cannabis.

Traditional use of cannabis common among London-based ethnic groups

African-Caribbeans are particularly well-known for consuming cannabis as a cultural practice; other cultures that may incorporate cannabis use include Afghan, Moroccan, Egyptian, and many other African and Asian communities. Certain South American cultures may also incorporate cultural use of cannabis to some degree; many of the same cultures that use cannabis traditionally have some involvement in its importation into the UK.

Most if not all of these communities are concentrated in London. The Afghan community is practically non-existent outside the capital, with 70% of Afghans living in London-although in recent years there has been some expansion into other large cities in the UK. Of the one million or so African-Caribbeans living in the UK, 61% reside in the London area (2001 figure). 

So how much cannabis does London consume?

The Independent Drugs Monitoring Unit (IDMU) estimates that between 622 and 1407 tons of cannabis are consumed every year in the UK, of which 65% or more is now supplied by domestic producers. 
No specific data exists for cannabis use within the London area, but using the conservative estimate of 1.04 million cannabis users in London, consuming cannabis at a rate equal to the rest of the country, between 149.28 and 337.68 tons are annually consumed in London.

Per night, this equates to between 0.41 and 0.93 tons, but as discussed, this figure could well be somewhat higher when taking into account the variable consumption rates across individuals of different cultural backgrounds. Therefore there is a strong suggestion that the London area could well account for one ton of cannabis per night. 

Source: Sensi Seeds