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

Made: 15th December 2021

Coming into operation: 15th June 2022

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Citation, commencement and interpretation

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Amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

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Signed

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 15th December 2021.

Cathy Harrison — A senior officer of the Department of Health

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations amend the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 1) (“the Regulations”).

Regulation 2(2) removes regulation 4B of the 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.

Regulation 2(3) adds 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) and Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) to Schedule 1 to the Regulations. The Schedule to the Regulations 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 Regulations are those subject to the tightest controls, requiring a licence in order to access such drugs.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5)

[^f00002]: 1971 c. 38, as amended by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2001 (c. 13)

[^f00003]: S.R. & O. (N. I.) 1973 No. 504, Article 5(a) and S.I. 1999/283 (N.I. 1), Article 3(6)

[^f00004]: 1954 c. 33 (N.I.)

[^f00005]: S.R. 2002 No. 1, relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 2021 No. 221, S.R. 2020 Nos. 104 and 73, S.R. 2019 Nos. 208 and 21, S.R. 2018 Nos. 173 and 4, S.R. 2016. No. 29, S.R. 2015 Nos. 227 and 53, S.R. 2014 Nos. 261, 158 and 21, S.R. 2013 No. 78, S.R. 2012 No. 213, S.R. 2011 No. 153, S.R. 2010 Nos. 247 and 148, S.R. 2009 No. 390, S.R. 2007 No. 348 and S.R. 2005 No. 360

[^f00006]: Regulation 4B was inserted by regulation 3 of S.R. 2009 No. 397 and was then substituted by regulation 4 of S.R. 2011 No. 153

Editorial notes