Facts. Priya, 22, collects money from three friends, buys cannabis and shares it out at a party. Police later find the group chat.
What the law says. Handing cannabis to others is supply, even at cost or for free (CPS; MDA s.37(1) "distributing").[2][3] Courts have long treated "social supply" as less serious; older case law includes R v Afonso [2004] EWCA Crim 2342 [unverified]. Under the 2021 guideline, the main route is the lesser role: "Expectation of limited, if any, financial or other advantage".[17]
Professional note. If the court regards it as "selling directly to users", the case goes to at least Category 3 even for small weights.[17] Whether at-cost sharing among friends counts depends on the facts, and is a key defence point.
| If… | Then… |
|---|---|
| Passing a joint once, no buying for others | May be treated as possession only |
| Collecting money and distributing, no profit | Supply, lesser role, Cat 4 (under ~100g): starting point low-level CO |
| Small profit or "free smoke" as payment | Possibly significant role |
| Repeated buying for others; messages offering to sell | Supply "to users" → Cat 3 risk; custody range |
Myth. "Sharing isn't dealing." In law, it can be.[3]