Britain is the largest exporter of legal cannabis in the world despite ban, a UN report has found.

Findings by the UN's International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) stated that the UK produced 95 tonnes of legal cannabis in 2016 - more than double the 2015 total of 42 tonnes.

The UK's production now accounts for 44.9 per cent of the world total.

The report puts Canada in second place with 80.7 tonnes produced. Some 2.1 tonnes was exported from the UK, making it responsible for 67.7 per cent of the world total, followed by the Netherlands (16.4 per cent).

A significant part of the UK's legal cannabis production goes towards a cannabis-based medicine called Sativex.