1971 Misuse of Drugs Act - Definition and Overview

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is the Act of Parliament that controls narcotics possession, use and trafficking in the United Kingdom.

The Act creates three classes of "controlled substances", with different ranges of penalties for each. "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", 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.

History of drugs policy in the UK

Before 1971, the UK had a relatively liberal drugs policy and it was not until US influence had been brought to bear — particularly in United Nations circles — that all drugs use was criminalised. Before the passage of the Act, it was possible for heroin addicts to be prescribed enough of the drug to manage their addiction without being forced to buy from the black market, for example.

Supporters of the newer drugs policy tend to believe that criminalising both drugs use and possession is the best way to handle the social problems caused by drugs, whereas opponents tend to suggest that criminalising users and dealers alike is counterproductive and detrimental to the health of users.

Class A drugs

• Acetorphine
• Allylprodine
• Alphacetylmethadol
• Alphameprodine
• Alphamethaclol
• Alphaprodine
• Ani Ieridine
• Benzethidine
• Benzylmorphine (3-benzylmorphine)
• Betacetylmethadol
• Betameprodine
• Betamethadol
• Betaprodine
• Bezitramide
• Bufotenine
• Cannabinol, except where contained in cannabis or cannabis resin
• Cannabinol derivatives
• Clonitazene
• Coca leaf
• Cocaine
• Desomorphine
• Dextromoramide
• Diamorphine (heroin)
• Diampromide
• Diethylthiambutene
• Dihydrocodeinone O-carboxymethyloxime
• Dihydromorphine
• Dimenoxadole
• Dimepheptanol
• Dimethylthiambutene
• Dioxaphetyl butyrate
• Diphenoxylate
• Dipipanone
• Ecgonine, and any derivative of ecgonine which is convertible to ecgonine or to cocaine
• Ethylmethylthiambutene
• Etonitazene
• Etorphine
• Etoxeridine
• Fentanyl
• Furethidine
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphinol
• Hydromorphone
• Hydroxypethidine
• Isomethadone
• Ketobemidone
• Levomethorphan
• Levomoramide
• Levophenacylmorphan
• Levorphanol
• Lysergamide
• Lysergide and other N-alkyl derivatives of lysergamide
• Mescaline
• Metazocine
• Methadone
• Methadyl acetate
• Methyldesorphine
• Methyldihydromorphine (6-methyldihydromorphine)
• Metopon
• Morpheridine
• Morphine
• Morphine methobromide, morphine N-oxide and other pentavalent nitrogen morphine derivatives
• Myrophine
• Nicodicodine (6-nicotinoyldi-hydrocodeine)
• Nicomorphine (3,6-dinicotinoyl-morphine)
• Noracyinethadol
• Norlevorphanol
• Normethadone
• Normorphine
• Norpipanone
• Opium, whether raw, prepared or medicinal
• Oxycodone
• Oxymorphone
• Pethidine
• Phenadoxone
• Phenampromide
• Phenazocine
• Phenomorphan
• Phenoperidine
• Piminodine
• Piritramide
• Poppy-straw and concentrate of poppy-straw
• Proheptazine
• Properidine (1-methyl-4-phenyl-piperidine-4-carboxylic acid isopropyl ester)
• Psilocin
• Racemcthorphan
• Racemoramide
• Racemorphan
• Thebacon
• Thebaine
• Trimeperidine
• 4-Cyano-2-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenylbutane
• 4-Cyano-1-methyl-4-phenyl-piperidine
• N,N-Diethyltryptamine
• N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
• 2,5-Dimethoxy-a,4-dimethyl-phenethylaniine
• 1-Methyl-4-phenylpiperidine-4-carboxylic acid
• 2-Methyl-3-morpholino-1
• 1-diphenylpropanecarboxylic acid
• 4-Phenylpiperidine-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester

Class B drugs

• Acetyldihydrocodeine
• Amphetamine
• Codeine
• Dexamphetamine
• Dihydrocodeine
• Ethylmorphine (3-ethylmorphine)
• Methylamphetamine
• Methylphenidate
• Nicocodine
• Norcodeine
• Phenmetrazine
• Pholcodine

Class C drugs

• Benzphetamine
• Cannabis and cannabis resin (downgraded from Class B from January 29, 2004)
• Chlorphentermine
• Fencamfamin
• Mephentermine
• Methaqualone
• Pemoline
• Phendirnetrazine
• Phentermine
• Pipradrol
• Prolintane

External links

• Text of the Act (http://www.ukcia.org/pollaw/lawlibrary/misuseofdrugsact1971.html) from the UK Cannabis Internet Activists (http://www.ukcia.org/) (a cannabis pro-legalisation group)
• Home Office Drugs policy website (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/)
• Cross-government Drugs Strategy website (http://www.drugs.gov.uk/)
• Talk to Frank (http://www.talktofrank.com/) — a mid-2000s government information campaign website, with Plain English information about drugs and drugs policy