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The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022

S.R. 2022/176 · Made 23 May 2022

Original text. legislation.gov.uk does not revise statutory instruments, so later amendments are not shown here. Changes made to it are listed under each provision when known.

Dangerous Drugs

Made 23rd May 2022

Coming into operation 14th June 2022

The Department of Healthf1, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 7, 10, 22 and 31 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971f2 as adapted by sections 7(9), 31(4) and 38 of that Act and now vested in itf3 and after consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in accordance with section 31(3) of that Act.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5)

f2

1971 c. 38, as amended by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13)

f3

S.R. & O. (N. I.) 1973 No. 504, Article 5(a) and S.I. 1999/283 (N.I. 1), Article 3(6)

Contents

  1. 1Citation and commencement
  2. 2Revocation
  3. Signature
  4. Explanatory note

1Citation and commencement

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and shall come into operation on 14th June 2022.

2Revocation

The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021f1 are revoked.

Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 23rd May 2022.

(L.S.)

Cathy Harrison

A senior officer of the Department of Health

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (“the 2021 Regulations”).

The 2021 Regulations removed regulation 4B of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (“the 2002 Regulations”), that made it lawful to import, export, produce, supply, offer to supply or possess Gamma–butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4–Butanediol (1,4-BD) in certain circumstances. The 2021 Regulations also added 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) and Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) to Schedule 1 to the 2002 Regulations. The Schedule in which a controlled drug is placed affects the extent to which the drug can be lawfully imported, exported, produced, supplied or possessed. The controlled drugs placed in Schedule 1 to the 2002 Regulations are those subject to the tightest controls, requiring a Department of Health licence in order to access such drugs.

Revocation of the 2021 Regulations means that the exemption in regulation 4B of the 2002 Regulations will remain in force and 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) and Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) will not be placed in Schedule 1, so a Department of Health controlled drugs licence will not be required in order to lawfully import, export, produce, supply or possess these drugs.