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Important drug legislation policy updates

The Minister for Crime Prevention, Jeremy Browne MP, has placed a temporary class drug order (TCDO) on two groups of new psychoactive substances (NPS) – the ‘NBOMe’ and ‘Benzofuran’ substances (25I-NBOMe and 5- and 6-APB respectively, including other related substances) – under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, following recommendations from the Government’s experts, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) regarding their harms and effects warranting temporary control.

The ACMD’s advice is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-class-drug-order-report-on-benzofury-and-nbome-compounds. The Minister for Crime Prevention’s response to the ACMD’s advice can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-class-drug-order-for-benzofury-and-nbome-compounds-letter..

The TCDO will come into force at 00.01 on Monday 10 June. Subject to Parliament’s approval within 40 days, the TCDO will remain in force for up to 12 months while the ACMD undertakes a full assessment on these two groups of NPS for consideration for permanent control under the 1971 Act.

A copy of the TCDO (SI: 2013/1294) and its accompanying documents (Explanatory Memorandum and Impact Assessment) will all be available shortly on the UK legislation website at www.legislation.gov.uk.  A Home Office Circular will also be published shortly at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/home-office-circulars-2013.

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