# The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022, Note: 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.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2022/176/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/misuse-of-drugs-amendment-revocation-regulations-northern-ireland-2022/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.