CANNABIS scented cards will be handed out across the region in a bid to help the public identify the drug.

The scratch and sniff cards will be distributed by police forces and Crimestoppers as part of a campaign to tackle cannabis cultivation.

The cards – which don’t contain any psychoactive elements – will allow people to identify the specific smell associated with growing cannabis.

They will also list the common signs of cannabis cultivation in a bid to help the public spot cannabis grows.

An initial distribution of the cards took place last year and led to an increase in information received by police in relation to cannabis cultivation.

Home Office Crime Prevention Minister, Norman Baker, said: “There is a strong link between commercial cannabis cultivation and organised crime, with the same gangs often involved in further criminality such as modern slavery, trafficking and the use of firearms.

“We are determined to protect and support victims and pursue criminals making money from the misery of innocent people.

“Initiatives like the Crimestoppers campaign are invaluable in helping frontline officers protect society by stopping the supply of harmful drugs and cracking down on related crime.”

Information about cannabis farms can be reported anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For more details about the campaign, visit crimestoppers-uk.org/scratchandsniff.