uksi/2022/559 — The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2022

2022 No. 559 Dangerous Drugs The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2022 Made 17th May 2022 Laid before Parliament 23rd May 2022 Coming into force 14th June 2022 The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 7(1)(a) and (b), 10(1), 22(1)(a) and 31(1)(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 . In accordance with section 31(3) of that Act the Secretary of State has consulted the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Citation, Commencement and Extent 1 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (Revocation) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2022 and come into force on 14th June 2022. 2 These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland. Revocation of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2021 2 The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2021 are revoked. Kit Malthouse Minister of State Home Office 17th May 2022 EXPLANATORY NOTE (This note is not part of the Regulations) These Regulations revoke the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) (England, Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2021 ( S.I. 2021/1427 ) (“ the 2021 Regulations ”). The 2021 Regulations removed regulation 4B of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (“ the 2001 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 2001 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 2001 Regulations are those subject to the tightest controls, requiring a Home Office licence in order to access such drugs. Revocation of the 2021 Regulations means that the exemption in regulation 4B of the 2001 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 Home Office controlled drugs licence will not be required to lawfully import, export, produce, supply or possess these drugs. A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.