The figures, taken from the Home Office's Drug Offenders in England and Wales 2004 statistical bulletin, show that the number of 17- to 21-year-olds who were "dealt with" dropped from 31,250 in 2003 to 20,870 in 2004. Young people aged 21 to 25 were also less likely to be "dealt with" for drug offences in 2004.
The declassification of cannabis from class B to C on 29 January 2004 has had an impact on the figures. But class A drug offending has increased, albeit by a small amount, with 36,350 offences in 2004 as opposed to 35,620 in 2003.
However, the number of class B drug offences fell dramatically, from 94,520 in 2003 to 7,260 in 2004, while class C offences rose steeply from 1,660 to 59,050 over the same period.
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