Misuse Of Drugs Regulations 2001
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The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (c. 38) is an act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...
. It represents action in line with
treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...
commitments under the
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 (Single Convention, 1961 Convention, or C61) is an international treaty that controls activities (cultivation, production, supply, trade, transport) involving specific narcotic drugs and lays down a ...
, the
Convention on Psychotropic Substances The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 is a United Nations treaty designed to control psychoactive drugs such as amphetamine-type stimulants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and psychedelics signed in Vienna, Austria on 21 February ...
, and the
United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances The United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 is one of three major drug control treaties currently in force. It provides additional legal mechanisms for enforcing the 1961 Single C ...
. Offences under the act include: * Possession of a controlled drug unlawfully * Possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply it * Supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug (even where no charge is made for the drug) * Allowing premises you occupy or manage to be used unlawfully for the purpose of producing or supplying controlled drugs The act establishes the
Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...
as the principal authority in a drug
licensing A license (American English) or licence ( Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another par ...
system. Therefore, for example, various
opiate An opiate is an alkaloid substance derived from opium (or poppy straw). It differs from the similar term ''opioid'' in that the latter is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain ( ...
s are available legally as prescription-only medicines, and
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
(
hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
) may be grown under licence for 'industrial purposes'. The (
SI 2001 This is an incomplete list of statutory instruments of the United Kingdom in 2001. There is 2280 items listed here, out of a total of 2285 Statutory instruments 1–100 *The Road Traffic (Permitted Parking Area and Special Parking Area) (Coun ...
/3998), created under the 1971 Act, are about licensing of production, possession and supply of substances classified under the act. The act creates three classes of controlled substances, A, B, and C, and ranges of penalties for illegal or unlicensed possession and possession with intent to supply are graded differently within each class. The lists of substances within each class can be amended by
Order in Council An Order in Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom, this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' ...
, so the Home Secretary can list new drugs and upgrade, downgrade or delist previously controlled drugs with less of the bureaucracy and delay associated with passing an act through both
Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...
. Critics of the act such as
David Nutt David John Nutt (born 16 April 1951) is an English neuropsychopharmacologist specialising in the research of drugs that affect the brain and conditions such as addiction, anxiety, and sleep. He is the chairman of Drug Science, a non-profit ...
say that its classification is not based on how harmful or addictive the substances are, and that it is unscientific to omit substances like tobacco and alcohol.


List of controlled drugs

These drugs are known in the UK as ''controlled drug'', because this is the term by which the act itself refers to them. In more general terms, however, many of these drugs are also controlled by the
Medicines Act 1968 The Medicines Act 1968 (c. 67) is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its official long title is "An Act to make new provision with respect to medicinal products and related matters, and for purposes connected therewith." It governs the ...
, there are many other drugs which are controlled by the Medicines Act but not by the Misuse of Drugs Act, and some other drugs (
alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
, for example) are controlled by other laws. The act sets out four separate categories: Class A, Class B, Class C and temporary class drugs. Substances may be removed and added to different parts of the schedule by statutory instrument, provided a report of the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: ...
has been commissioned and has reached a conclusion, although the Secretary of State is not bound by the council's findings. *Class A includes
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
,
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
,
morphine Morphine, formerly also called morphia, is an opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin produced by drying the latex of opium poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as an analgesic (pain medication). There are ...
,
oxycodone Oxycodone, sold under the brand name Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended-release form) among others, is a semi-synthetic opioid used medically for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and is a commonly ...
,
fentanyl Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic piperidine opioid primarily used as an analgesic (pain medication). It is 30 to 50 times more Potency (pharmacology), potent than heroin and 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Its primary Medici ...
,
MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form), and molly (crystal form), is an empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor Psychedelic drug, psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used ...
("ecstasy"),
methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug use, recreational or Performance-enhancing substance, performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a secon ...
,
opium Opium (also known as poppy tears, or Lachryma papaveris) is the dried latex obtained from the seed Capsule (fruit), capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid mor ...
,
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...
,
hydrocodone Hydrocodone, also known as dihydrocodeinone, is a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat pain and as a cough suppressant. It is taken by mouth. Typically, it is dispensed as the combination acetaminophen/hydrocodone or ibuprofen/hydrocodone fo ...
,
DMT Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), also known as ''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (''N'',''N''-DMT), is a serotonergic hallucinogen and investigational drug of the tryptamine family that occurs naturally in many plants and animals, including humans. D ...
,
mescaline Mescaline, also known as mescalin or mezcalin, and in chemical terms 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is a natural product, naturally occurring psychedelic drug, psychedelic alkaloid, protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, found ...
extract, and
psilocybin Psilocybin, also known as 4-phosphoryloxy-''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (4-PO-DMT), is a natural product, naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid and Investigational New Drug, investigational drug found in more than List of psilocybin mushroom ...
/
psilocin Psilocin, also known as 4-hydroxy-''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (4-HO-DMT), is a substituted tryptamine alkaloid and a serotonergic psychedelic. It is present in most psychedelic mushrooms together with its phosphorylated counterpart psilocy ...
(
magic mushrooms Psilocybin mushrooms, or psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or as shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom and a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into t ...
). *Class B includes
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
,
synthetic cannabinoids Synthetic cannabinoids, or neocannabinoids, are a class of designer drug molecules that bind to the same receptors to which cannabinoids ( THC, CBD and many others) in cannabis plants attach. These novel psychoactive substances should not be co ...
,
ketamine Ketamine is a cyclohexanone-derived general anesthetic and NMDA receptor antagonist with analgesic and hallucinogenic properties, used medically for anesthesia, depression, and pain management. Ketamine exists as its S- (esketamine) a ...
,
amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...
,
codeine Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...
,
methcathinone Methcathinone (α-methylamino-propiophenone or ephedrone) (sometimes called "cat" or "jeff" or "catnip" or "M-Kat" or "kat" or "intash") is a monoamine alkaloid and psychoactive stimulant, a substituted cathinone. It is used as a recreational d ...
,
barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant, depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medication, medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological a ...
s,
mephedrone Mephedrone, also known as , , and , is a synthetic stimulant drug belonging to the amphetamine and cathinone classes. It is commonly referred to by slang names such as drone, , white magic, meow meow, and bubble. Chemically, it is similar to ...
,
methaqualone Methaqualone is a hypnotic sedative. It was sold under the brand names Quaalude ( ) and Sopor among others, which contained 300 mg of methaqualone, and sold as a combination drug under the brand name Mandrax, which contained 250 mg me ...
,
methylphenidate Methylphenidate, sold under the brand names Ritalin ( ) and Concerta ( ) among others, is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It may be taken Oral adm ...
, GHB, and GBL. Any class B drug that is prepared for injections becomes a class A substance. *Class C includes
benzodiazepine Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), colloquially known as "benzos", are a class of central nervous system (CNS) depressant, depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed t ...
s,
xylazine Xylazine is a structural analog of clonidine and an α2-adrenergic receptor, α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, sold under many trade names worldwide, most notably the Bayer brand name Rompun, as well as Anased, Sedazine and Chanazine. Xylazine ...
,
pregabalin Pregabalin, sold under the brand name Lyrica among others, is an anticonvulsant, analgesic, and anxiolytic amino acid medication used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome, opioid withdrawal, generalized anx ...
, and most other non-barbiturate tranquillisers;
tramadol Tramadol, sold under the brand name Tramal among others, is an opioid analgesic, pain medication and a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used to treat moderately severe pain. When taken by mouth in an immediate-release form ...
,
gabapentin Gabapentin, sold under the brand name Neurontin among others, is an anticonvulsant medication primarily used to treat neuropathic pain and also for partial seizures of epilepsy. It is a commonly used medication for the treatment of neuropath ...
;
anabolic steroid Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are a class of drugs that are structurally related to testosterone, the main male sex hormone, and produce effects by binding to the androgen receptor (AR). Anabolism, Anaboli ...
s,
nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, or factitious air, among others, is a chemical compound, an Nitrogen oxide, oxide of nitrogen with the Chemical formula, formula . At room te ...
,
khat Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harar area (present day eastern Ethiopia) and ...
,
piperazine Piperazine () is an organic compound with the formula . In term of its structure, it can be described as cyclohexane with the 1- and 4-CH2 groups replaced by NH. Piperazine exists as deliquescent solid with a saline taste. Piperazine is freely sol ...
s, and
cathinone Cathinone (; also known as β-ketoamphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub ''Catha edulis'' (khat) and is chemically similar to ephedrine, cathine, methcathinone and other amphetamines. It is probably the main contributor to t ...
*All other psychoactive drugs except
alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
,
caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...
, and
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
(or other
nicotine Nicotine is a natural product, naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreational drug use, recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As ...
preparations) are controlled under the
Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 (c. 2) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to restrict the production, sale and supply of a new class of psychoactive substances often referred to as "legal highs". The bill was given R ...
and
Medicines Act 1968 The Medicines Act 1968 (c. 67) is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its official long title is "An Act to make new provision with respect to medicinal products and related matters, and for purposes connected therewith." It governs the ...
. In reality the potential harm has little bearing on the class, which has led to dissatisfaction with drug laws. Substances may be removed and added to different parts of the schedule by statutory instrument, provided a report of the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: ...
has been commissioned and has reached a conclusion, although the Secretary of State is not bound by the council's findings. This list has in practice been modified a great number of times, sometimes removing substances, but more commonly adding some; for example, many
benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), colloquially known as "benzos", are a class of central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat co ...
became Class C drugs in 1985, and many
cathinones Substituted cathinones, or simply cathinones, which include some stimulants and Empathogen-entactogen, entactogens, are chemical derivative, derivatives of cathinone. They feature a substituted phenethylamine, phenethylamine core with an alkyl ...
became Class B drugs in 2010.


Class A drugs

1. The following substances, namely:— :''N.B. Sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) were added in 1977, sub-paragraphs (d) and (e) were added in 1986. Sub-paragraph (ba) was subsequently added in 2001.'' (b) any compound structurally derived from
tryptamine Tryptamine is an indolamine metabolite of the essential amino acid tryptophan. The chemical structure is defined by an indole—a fused benzene and pyrrole ring, and a 2-aminoethyl group at the second carbon (third aromatic atom, with the firs ...
or from a ring-hydroxy tryptamine by modification. (ba) a number of
phenethylamine Phenethylamine (PEA) is an organic compound, natural monoamine alkaloid, and trace amine, which acts as a central nervous system stimulant in humans. In the brain, phenethylamine regulates monoamine neurotransmission by binding to trace ami ...
derivatives. (c) compounds structurally derived from
phenethylamine Phenethylamine (PEA) is an organic compound, natural monoamine alkaloid, and trace amine, which acts as a central nervous system stimulant in humans. In the brain, phenethylamine regulates monoamine neurotransmission by binding to trace ami ...
an N-alkylphenethylamine, a
methylphenethylamine Methylphenethylamine may refer to: * α-Methylphenethylamine (amphetamine) * β-Methylphenethylamine * ''N''-Methylphenethylamine (an endogenous trace amine in humans) * 2-Methylphenethylamine * 3-Methylphenethylamine * 4-Methylphenethylamine ...
, an N-alkyl-α-methylphenethylamine, an ethylphenethylamine, or an N-alkyl-α-ethylphenethylamine by certain modifications. (d) compounds structurally derived from
fentanyl Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic piperidine opioid primarily used as an analgesic (pain medication). It is 30 to 50 times more Potency (pharmacology), potent than heroin and 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Its primary Medici ...
by certain modifications. (e) compounds structurally derived from
pethidine Pethidine, also known as meperidine and sold under the brand name Demerol among others, is a fully synthetic opioid pain medication of the phenylpiperidine class. Synthesized in 1938 as a potential anticholinergic agent by the German chemist Ot ...
by certain modifications. (ea) any compound with a maximum molecular mass of 500 atomic mass units and structurally derived from 2-(2-benzyl-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethanamine. (f) any compound structurally derived from
mescaline Mescaline, also known as mescalin or mezcalin, and in chemical terms 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, is a natural product, naturally occurring psychedelic drug, psychedelic alkaloid, protoalkaloid of the substituted phenethylamine class, found ...
, 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxy-α-methylphenethylamine, 2,5-dimethoxy-α,4-dimethylphenethylamine, N-hydroxytenamphetamine (N-hydroxy-MDA), or a compound specified in sub-paragraph (ba) or (c) above, by substitution at the nitrogen atom of the amino group with a benzyl substituent, whether or not substituted in the phenyl ring of the benzyl group to any extent. 2. Any
stereoisomer In stereochemistry, stereoisomerism, or spatial isomerism, is a form of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in ...
ic of a class A substance, exluding
dextromethorphan Dextromethorphan, sold under the brand name Robitussin among others, is a cough suppressant used in many cough and Common cold, cold medicines. In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination dextromethorphan/bupropi ...
or
dextrorphan Dextrorphan (DXO) is a psychoactive drug of the morphinan class which acts as an antitussive or cough suppressant and in high doses a dissociative hallucinogen. It is the dextrorotatory enantiomer of racemorphan; the levorotatory enantiome ...
. 3. Any
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...
or
ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group, a single oxygen atom bonded to two separate carbon atoms, each part of an organyl group (e.g., alkyl or aryl). They have the general formula , where R and R†...
of a class A substance (that is not listed as a class B substance). 4. Any
salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
of a class A substance. 5. Any preparation or other product containing a class A substance 6. Any preparation of a class B substance designed for administration by
injection Injection or injected may refer to: Science and technology * Injective function, a mathematical function mapping distinct arguments to distinct values * Injection (medicine), insertion of liquid into the body with a syringe * Injection, in broadca ...
.


Class B drugs

1. The following substances, namely:— (a) (aa) Compounds structurally derived from 2–amino–1–phenyl–1–propanone by certain modifications. (ab) Compounds structurally derived from 2–aminopropan–1–one by certain modifications. (b) any 5,5 disubstituted
barbituric acid Barbituric acid or malonylurea or 6-hydroxyuracil is an organic compound based on a pyrimidine heterocyclic skeleton. It is an odorless powder soluble in water. Barbituric acid is the parent compound of barbiturate drugs, although barbituric acid i ...
. (c) and (ca) A number of categories of
synthetic cannabinoids Synthetic cannabinoids, or neocannabinoids, are a class of designer drug molecules that bind to the same receptors to which cannabinoids ( THC, CBD and many others) in cannabis plants attach. These novel psychoactive substances should not be co ...
. (d) 1-Phenylcyclohexylamine or compounds structurally derived from 1-phenylcyclohexylamine or 2-amino-2-phenylcyclohexanone by certain modifications (that are not already class A substances). (e) Any compound structurally derived from 1-benzofuran, 2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran, 1H-indole, indoline, 1H-indene, or indane by certain modifications. 2. Any
stereoisomer In stereochemistry, stereoisomerism, or spatial isomerism, is a form of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in ...
ic form of a class B substance. 3. Any
salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
of a class B substance. 4. Any preparation or other product containing a class B substance, exluding those designed for administration by
injection Injection or injected may refer to: Science and technology * Injective function, a mathematical function mapping distinct arguments to distinct values * Injection (medicine), insertion of liquid into the body with a syringe * Injection, in broadca ...
which are class A.


Class C drugs

1. The following substances, namely:— (a) :''N.B. Sub-paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) all refer to
anabolic steroid Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are a class of drugs that are structurally related to testosterone, the main male sex hormone, and produce effects by binding to the androgen receptor (AR). Anabolism, Anaboli ...
s that were banned in 1996 (unless referenced otherwise)'': (b) * 4-Androstene-3,17-dione *
5-Androstene-3,17-diol Androstenediol, or 5-androstenediol (abbreviated as A5 or Δ5-diol), also known as androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol, is an endogenous weak androgen and estrogen steroid hormone and chemical intermediate, intermediate in the biosynthesis of testoster ...
* Atamestane *
Bolandiol Bolandiol ( INN, also known as 19-nor-4-androstenediol, estr-4-ene-3β,17β-diol, or 3β-dihydronandrolone) is an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) that was never marketed. However, a dipropionate ester derivative, bolandiol dipropionate, has ...
*
Bolasterone Bolasterone (, ) (brand names Myagen, Methosarb; former developmental code name U-19763), also known as 7α,17α-dimethyltestosterone, is a 17α-alkylated androgen/anabolic steroid (AAS) which is used in veterinary medicine. It has close structu ...
*
Bolazine Bolazine (), also known as 2α-methyl-5α-androstan-17β-ol-3-one azine, is a synthetic androgen/anabolic steroid (AAS) of the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) group which was never marketed. It is not orally active and is used as the ester prodrug bo ...
*
Boldenone Boldenone (developmental code name RU-18761), is a naturally occurring anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and the 1(2)- dehydrogenated analogue of testosterone. Boldenone itself has never been marketed; as a pharmaceutical drug, it is used as ...
*
Bolenol Bolenol (, ), also known as 17α-ethyl-19-norandrost-5-en-17β-ol (ethylnorandrostenol), is a synthetic, orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 17α-alkylated derivative of 19-nortestosterone (nandrolone) that was never marketed. ...
* Bolmantalate *
Calusterone Calusterone (INN, USAN) (brand names Methosarb, Riedemil; former developmental code names NSC-88536, U-22550), also known as 7β,17α-dimethyltestosterone, is an orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) that is used as an antineoplastic a ...
* 4-Chloromethandienone *
Clostebol Clostebol (; also known as 4-chlorotestosterone) is a synthetic anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS). Clostebol is the 4- chloro derivative of the natural hormone testosterone. The chlorination prevents conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) ...
*
Desoxymethyltestosterone Desoxymethyltestosterone (DMT), known by the nicknames Madol and Pheraplex, is a synthetic compound, synthetic and oral administration, orally active anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 17α-alkylated anabolic steroid, 17α-methylated chemi ...
*
Dienedione Dienedione, also known as estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione, is a synthetic, orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) of the 19-nortestosterone group that was never introduced for medical use. It is thought to be a prohormone of dienolone. The ...
*
Drostanolone Drostanolone, or dromostanolone, is an anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) of the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) group which was never marketed. An androgen ester prodrug of drostanolone, drostanolone propionate, was formerly used in the treatmen ...
*
Enestebol Enestebol (), also known as 4-hydroxy-17α-methyl-δ1-testosterone, as well as 4,17β-dihydroxy-17α-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one, is a synthetic and orally active anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 17α-alkylated derivative of testoste ...
*
Epitiostanol Epitiostanol, sold under the brand name Thiodrol, is an injected antiestrogen and anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) of the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) group which was described in the literature in 1965 and has been marketed in Japan as an an ...
* Ethyloestrenol *
Fluoxymesterone Fluoxymesterone, sold under the brand names Halotestin and Ultandren among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used in the treatment of hypogonadism, low testosterone levels in men, delayed puberty in boys, breas ...
* Formebolone *
Furazabol Furazabol (, ) (brand names Frazalon, Miotalon, Qu Zhi Shu), also known as androfurazanol, is a synthetic, orally active anabolic-androgenic steroid which has been marketed in Japan since 1969. It is a 17α-alkylated derivative of dihydrotestos ...
* Mebolazine *
Mepitiostane Mepitiostane, sold under the brand name Thioderon, is an orally active antiestrogen and anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) of the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) group which is marketed in Japan as an antineoplastic agent for the treatment of breas ...
*
Mesabolone Mesabolone, also known as 1-testosterone 17β-methoxycyclopentyl ether, is a synthetic anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) that was never marketed. It is the 17β-(1-methoxycyclohexane) ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compo ...
* Mestanolone *
Mesterolone Mesterolone, sold under the brand name Proviron among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used mainly in the treatment of low testosterone levels. It has also been used to treat male infertility, although this ...
*
Methandienone Metandienone, also known as methandienone or methandrostenolone and sold under the brand name Dianabol (D-Bol) among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is mostly no longer prescribed. It is also used non-medically ...
*
Methandriol Methandriol (brand names Anabol, Crestabolic, Cytobolin, Diandren, Durabolic, Madiol, Mestenediol, Methabolic, Methydiol, Sterabolic, Stenediol), also known as methylandrostenediol, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which was de ...
* Methenolone *
Methyltestosterone Methyltestosterone, sold under the brand names Android, Metandren, and Testred among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used in the treatment of low testosterone levels in men, delayed puberty in boys, at low ...
*
Metribolone Metribolone (developmental code R1881, also known as methyltrienolone) is a synthetic and orally active anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 17α-alkylated nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) derivative which was never marketed for medical use ...
*
Mibolerone Mibolerone, also known as dimethylnortestosterone (DMNT) and sold under the brand names Cheque Drops and Matenon, is a synthetic, orally active, and extremely potent anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) and a 17α-alkylated nandrolone (19-norte ...
*
Nandrolone Nandrolone, also known as 19-nortestosterone, is an endogenous androgen. It is also an anabolic steroid (AAS) which is medically used in the form of esters such as nandrolone decanoate (brand name Deca-Durabolin) and nandrolone phenylpropionate ...
* 19-Nor-4-Androstene-3,17-dione * 19-Nor-5-Androstene-3,17-diol * Norboletone *
Norclostebol Norclostebol (; brand name Lentabol; former developmental code names SKF-6611, CP-73) is a synthetic androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) that was derived from nandrolone. It was described in the literature in 1957. Norclostebol is also used as a ...
*
Norethandrolone Norethandrolone, sold under the brand names Nilevar and Pronabol among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which has been used to promote muscle growth and to treat severe burns, physical trauma, and aplastic anemia but ...
* Ovandrotone *
Oxabolone Oxabolone is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) of the nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) group which was never marketed. It can be formulated as the cipionate ester prodrug oxabolone cipionate, which, in contrast, has been marketed fo ...
* Oxandrolone * Oxymesterone * Oxymetholone * Prasterone * Propetandrol * Quinbolone * Roxibolone * Silandrone * Stanolone * Stanozolol * Stenbolone * Testosterone (medication), Testosterone * Thiomesterone * Trenbolone (c) Compounds structurally derived from 17-hydroxyandrostan-3-one or from 17-hydroxyestran-3-one by certain modifications, excluding Trilostane or a compounds listed above. (ca) Benzylpiperazine, 1–benzylpiperazine or compounds structurally derived from 1–benzylpiperazine or Phenylpiperazine, 1–phenylpiperazine by certain modifications. (d) any substance which is an
ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...
and/or
ether In organic chemistry, ethers are a class of compounds that contain an ether group, a single oxygen atom bonded to two separate carbon atoms, each part of an organyl group (e.g., alkyl or aryl). They have the general formula , where R and R†...
of a substance specified in (b) or (c) above. (e) * Chorionic gonadotropin * Clenbuterol * Non-human chorionic gonadotrophin * Somatotropin * Somatrem * Somatropin


Derivatives and analogues

The act contains several references to "derivatives" of compounds but the extent of this term is not fully clarified. Where unspecified it is thought to indicate derivatives which can be made from the specified compound in a single synthetic step, although such a definition would indicate that alkyllysergamide analogues would be uncontrolled. Where the derivatives are specified to be "structural derivatives" there is precedent that the statute applies whenever the structure could be converted to the ''specified'' derivatives in any number of synthetic steps.


Penalties

The penalties for drug offences depend on the class of drug involved. These penalties are enforced against those who do not have a valid Medical prescription, prescription or licence to possess the drug in question. Thus, it is not illegal for someone to possess heroin, a Class A drug, so long as it was administered to them legally (by prescription). Class A drugs attract the highest penalty, and imprisonment is both "proper and expedient". The maximum penalties possible are as follows:


International cooperation

The act makes it a crime to assist in, incite, or induce, the commission of an offence, outside the UK, against another nation's corresponding law on drugs. A corresponding law is defined as another country's law "providing for the control and regulation in that country of the production, supply, use, export and import of drugs and other substances in accordance with the provisions of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs" or another drug control treaty to which the UK and the other country are parties. An example might be lending money to a United States of America, United States drug dealer for the purpose of violating that country's Controlled Substances Act.


History

The Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964 controlled amphetamines in the United Kingdom in advance of international agreements and was later used to control
LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...
. Before 1971, the UK had a relatively liberal drugs policy and it was not until United Nations influence had been brought to bear that controlling incidental drug activities was employed to effectively criminalise drugs use. It is noted that bar the smoking of
opium Opium (also known as poppy tears, or Lachryma papaveris) is the dried latex obtained from the seed Capsule (fruit), capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid mor ...
and cannabis; section 8, part d, under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was not an offence (relating to the prosecution of the owner of a premises/building inside of which controlled drugs were being used). Section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was amended by regulation 13 of Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 (SI 1985/2066) and section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. These amendments were however repealed in 2005 by Schedule 1 (part 6) of the Drugs Act 2005. The current section 8 covers: people knowingly allowing premises they own, manage, or have responsibility for, to be used by any other person for: * administration or use of any controlled drug * supply of any controlled drug * the production or cultivation of controlled drugs, (such as growing cannabis, making Methamphetamine, crystal meth, preparing
magic mushrooms Psilocybin mushrooms, or psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or as shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom and a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into t ...
).


Criticism and controversy

Notable criticism of the act includes: * ''Drug classification: making a hash of it?'', Fifth Report of Session 2005–06, House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, which said that the present system of drug classification is based on historical assumptions, not scientific assessment. * ''Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse'', David Nutt, Leslie A. King, William Saulsbury, Colin Blakemore, ''The Lancet'', 24 March 2007, said the act is "not fit for purpose" and "the exclusion of alcohol and tobacco from the Misuse of Drugs Act is, from a scientific perspective, arbitrary." The Transform Drug Policy Foundation offers rational criticism of the harms caused by the Government's current prohibitionist drug policy. The Drug Equality Alliance (DEA) has launched legal actions against the UK Government's partial and unequal administration of the Act's discretionary powers, making particular reference to the arbitrary exclusion of alcohol and tobacco on the subjective grounds of historical and cultural precedents contrary to the Act's policy and objects. Following the release of the Cambridge Two – Ruth Wyner and John Brock – who had been convicted under Section 8 of the Act in 1999, a campaign calling for an overhaul of the Act was backed by Michael Winner, Julie Christie, and Tom Stoppard in response to the original conviction. Cannabis reclassification in the United Kingdom, Classification of cannabis has become especially controversial. In 2004, cannabisAll varieties of cannabis, including those grown as
hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...
, are controlled under the act, not just Cannabis (drug), drug varieties.
was reclassified from class B to class C, in accordance with advice from the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: ...
(ACMD). In 2009, it was returned to class B, against ACMD advice. In February 2009 the UK government was accused by its most senior expert drugs adviser Professor
David Nutt David John Nutt (born 16 April 1951) is an English neuropsychopharmacologist specialising in the research of drugs that affect the brain and conditions such as addiction, anxiety, and sleep. He is the chairman of Drug Science, a non-profit ...
of making a political decisions with regard to drug classification in rejecting the scientific advice to downgrade ecstasy from a class A drug. The
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is a British statutory advisory non-departmental public body, which was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Mandate Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows: ...
(ACMD) report on ecstasy, based on a 12-month study of 4,000 academic papers, concluded that it is nowhere near as dangerous as other class A drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine, and should be downgraded to class B. The advice was not followed. Jacqui Smith, then Home Secretary, was also widely criticised by the scientific community for bullying Professor David Nutt into apologising for his comments that, in the course of a normal year, more people died from falling off horses than died from taking ecstasy. Professor Nutt was later sacked by Alan Johnson (Jacqui Smith's successor as Home Secretary); Johnson saying "It is important that the government's messages on drugs are clear and as an advisor you do nothing to undermine public understanding of them. I cannot have public confusion between scientific advice and policy and have therefore lost confidence in your ability to advise me as Chair of the ACMD." In May 2011, a report named Taking Drugs Seriously was released by Demos. It discusses several issues with the current system, since its enactment in 1971. It states that the constant presence of new drugs will make it difficult for the government to keep up with the latest situation - over 600 drugs are now classified under the act. Comparison levels of harm previously demonstrated by David Nutt show that alcohol and tobacco were among the most lethal, while some class A drugs, such as MDMA, LSD, and magic mushrooms, were among the least harmful.


Use of controlled substances for research

A common misunderstanding amongst researchers is that most national laws (including the Misuse for Drugs Act) allows the use of small amounts of a controlled substance for non-clinical / non-in vivo research without licences. A typical use case might be having a few milligrams or microlitres of a controlled substance within larger chemical collections (often tens of thousands of chemicals) for in vitro screening. Researchers often believe that there is some form of "research exemption" for such small amounts. This incorrect view may be further re-enforced by R&D chemical suppliers often stating and asking scientists to confirm that anything bought is for research use only. A further misconception is that the Misuse of Drugs Act simply lists a few hundred substances (e.g. MDMA, Fentanyl, Amphetamine, etc.) and compliance can be achieved via checking a CAS number, chemical name or similar identifier. However, the reality is that in most cases all ethers, esters, salts and stereo isomers are also controlled and it is impossible to simply list all of these. The act contains several "generic statements" or "chemical space" laws, which aim to control all chemicals similar to the "named" substance, these provide detailed descriptions similar to Markush structure, Markushes, a good example of a few of these are found in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (amendment) order 2013. Due to this complexity in legislation the identification of controlled chemicals in research is often carried out computationally, either by in house systems maintained a company's sample logistics department or by the use of commercial software solutions. Automated systems are often required as many research operations can often have chemical collections running into 10Ks of molecules at the 1–5 mg scale, which are likely to include controlled substances, especially within medicinal chemistry research, even if the core research of the company is not narcotic or psychotropic drugs. These may not have been controlled when created, but they have subsequently been declared controlled, or fall within chemical space close to known controlled substances. There are no specific research exemptions in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. However, the associated Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (
SI 2001 This is an incomplete list of statutory instruments of the United Kingdom in 2001. There is 2280 items listed here, out of a total of 2285 Statutory instruments 1–100 *The Road Traffic (Permitted Parking Area and Special Parking Area) (Coun ...
/3998) does exempt products containing less than 1 mg of a controlled substance (1 Î¼g for lysergide and derivatives) so long as a number of requirements are met, including that it cannot be recovered by readily applicable means, does not pose a risk to human health and is not meant for administration to a human or animal. Although this does at first seem to allow research use, in most circumstances the sample, by definition, is "recoverable" - in order to prepare it for use the sample is "recovered" into an assay buffer or solvent such as DMSO or water. In 2017 the Home Office also confirmed that the 1 mg limit applies to the total of all preparations across the entire container in the case of sample microtitre plates. Given this, most companies and researchers choose not to rely on this exemption. However according to Home Office licensing, "University research departments generally do not require licences to possess and supply drugs in schedules 2, 3, 4 part I, 4 part II and schedule 5, but they do require licences to produce any of those drugs and to produce, possess and/or supply drugs in schedule 1".


See also

*Cannabis in the United Kingdom *Controlled Drug in the United Kingdom *Crime in the United Kingdom *Dangerous Drugs (Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1968 *Drug policy of the United Kingdom *Drug-related deaths in the United Kingdom *Temporary class drug


Notes


References


External links

* *
The text of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
– Office of Public Sector Information
Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 as amended

''UK Misuse of Drugs Act'', Steve Chapman website

''Controlled Drugs'', Patient UK website

Schedules and structures
of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – Isomer Design {{DEFAULTSORT:Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1971 English criminal law 1971 in cannabis