LegalizeReform history
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
46 versions
· 1971-05-27
2025-01-15
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2024-03-20
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2023-12-31
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2023-11-08
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2022-06-28
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2022-04-13
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2022-03-10
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2021-08-18
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2019-11-15
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2019-04-01
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2018-01-25
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2017-11-27
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2017-05-31
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2016-12-14
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2015-03-11
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2015-01-07
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2014-09-05
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2014-06-24
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2014-06-10
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2013-02-26
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2012-06-13
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2011-11-15
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2011-03-28
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2010-07-23
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2010-04-16
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2010-04-12
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2010-01-12
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2009-12-23
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2009-11-12
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2009-10-01
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2009-01-26
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2008-10-01
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2008-03-07
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2007-12-03
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2007-04-22
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2007-01-18
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2006-04-03
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2006-01-01
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Changes on 2006-01-01
@@ -1264,6 +1264,8 @@
- 4-Hydroxy-n-butyric acid
- Ketamine
- Ketazolam.
- Loprazolam.
@@ -1682,9 +1684,9 @@
## SCHEDULE 6
#### The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
#### Restriction of cultivation of cannabis plant.
#### Controlled drugs and their classification for purposes of this Act.
#### Authorisation of activities otherwise unlawful under foregoing provisions.
##### 9A
@@ -1702,9 +1704,9 @@
- (5) In this section, references to administration by any person of a controlled drug to himself include a reference to his administering it to himself with the assistance of another
#### Directions prohibiting prescribing, supply etc. of controlled drugs by practitioners in other cases.
#### Special provisions as to Northern Ireland.
#### Investigation where grounds for a direction under s. 13 are considered to exist.
#### Savings and transitional provisions, repeals, and power to amend local enactments.
For the purposes of this Schedule the following expressions (which are not among those defined in section 37(1) of this Act) have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say—
@@ -1724,11 +1726,11 @@
[^c8172311]: S. 4(2)(3) saved by (E.W.) [Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45), [Sch. 5 para. 1(2)(b)(i)(ii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45/schedule/5/paragraph/1/2/b/i/ii) and (S.) [Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21), [Sch. 7B para. 1(2)(b)(i)(ii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21/schedule/7B/paragraph/1/2/b/i/ii)
[^c8172331]: [S. 5(1)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/section/5/1) excluded (1.2.2002) by [S.I. 2001/3998](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998), [regs. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/4), [6(4)-(7)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/6/4), [10](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/10), [11(1)(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/11/1/2) (with [reg. 2(3)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/2/3))
[^c8172341]: [S. 5(2)(3)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/section/5/2/3) saved by (E.W.) [Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45), [Sch. 5 para. 1(2)(a)(b)(iii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45/schedule/5/paragraph/1/2/a/b/iii) and (S.) [Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21), [Sch. 7B](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21/schedule/7B), [para. 1(2)(a)(b)(iii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21/paragraph/1/2/a/b/iii)
[^c8172361]: [S. 5(5)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/section/5/5) repealed (E.W.) by [Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (c. 47, SIF 39:1)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47), [Sch. Pt. I](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47/schedule/part/I) and (N.I.) by [S.I. 1983/1120 (N.I. 13)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120), [Sch.](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120/schedule)
[^c8172331]: S. 5(1) excluded (1.2.2002) by [S.I. 2001/3998](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998), [regs. 4](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/4), [6(4)-(7)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/6/4), [10](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/10), [11(1)(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/11/1/2) (with [reg. 2(3)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3998/regulation/2/3))
[^c8172341]: S. 5(2)(3) saved by (E.W.) [Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45), [Sch. 5 para. 1(2)(a)(b)(iii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/45/schedule/5/paragraph/1/2/a/b/iii) and (S.) [Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21), [Sch. 7B](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21/schedule/7B), [para. 1(2)(a)(b)(iii)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/21/paragraph/1/2/a/b/iii)
[^c8172361]: S. 5(5) repealed (E.W.) by [Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (c. 47, SIF 39:1)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47), [Sch. Pt. I](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47/schedule/part/I) and (N.I.) by [S.I. 1983/1120 (N.I. 13)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120), [Sch.](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120/schedule)
[^c8172371]: Words repealed (E.W.) by [Criminal Attempts Act 1981 (c. 47, SIF 39:1)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47), [Sch. Pt. I](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1981/47/schedule/part/I) and (N.I.) by [S.I. 1983/1120 (N.I. 13)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120), [Sch.](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1983/1120/schedule)
@@ -2056,4 +2058,50 @@
[^key-ed06b84d20baaa24063f813572cf9cf9]: S. 4(1)(b) excluded by S.I. 2001/3998, reg. 8(7) (as substituted (14.11.2005) by [Misuse of Drugs and the Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) (amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2864)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2864), [regs. 1(1)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2864/regulation/1/1), [8](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2864/regulation/8))
[^key-d7d66a9aba783075ffcc67f6c52e38d2]: [S. 4A](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/section/4A) inserted (1.1.2006) by [Drugs Act 2005 (c. 17)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/17), [ss. 1](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/17/section/1), [24(3)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/17/section/24/3) (with [s. 1(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/17/section/1/2)); [S.I. 2005/3053](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/3053), [art. 3(a)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/3053/article/3/a)
[^M_F_f7c5c2ce-b869-4487-c672-e623be8f3822]: Word in Sch. 2 Pt. 3 para. 1(a) inserted (1.1.2006) by [The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3178)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/3178), [art. 2](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1243/article/2)
[^M_F_8e14cdf6-79a9-46db-b728-b9dcf3b70a40]: Sch. 4: the maximum fine which may be imposed on summary conviction shall be the prescribed sum by virtue of [Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43), [s. 32(2)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/43/section/32/2)
##### 4A
- (1) This section applies if—
- (a) a court is considering the seriousness of an offence under section 4(3) of this Act, and
- (b) at the time the offence was committed the offender had attained the age of 18.
- (2) If either of the following conditions is met the court—
- (a) must treat the fact that the condition is met as an aggravating factor (that is to say, a factor that increases the seriousness of the offence), and
- (b) must state in open court that the offence is so aggravated.
- (3) The first condition is that the offence was committed on or in the vicinity of school premises at a relevant time.
- (4) The second condition is that in connection with the commission of the offence the offender used a courier who, at the time the offence was committed, was under the age of 18.
- (5) In subsection (3), a relevant time is—
- (a) any time when the school premises are in use by persons under the age of 18;
- (b) one hour before the start and one hour after the end of any such time.
- (6) For the purposes of subsection (4), a person uses a courier in connection with an offence under section 4(3) of this Act if he causes or permits another person (the courier)—
- (a) to deliver a controlled drug to a third person, or
- (b) to deliver a drug related consideration to himself or a third person.
- (7) For the purposes of subsection (6), a drug related consideration is a consideration of any description which—
- (a) is obtained in connection with the supply of a controlled drug, or
- (b) is intended to be used in connection with obtaining a controlled drug.
- (8) In this section—
- “*school premises*” means land used for the purposes of a school excluding any land occupied solely as a dwelling by a person employed at the school; and
- “*school*” has the same meaning—in England and Wales, as in section 4 of the Education Act 1996;in Scotland, as in section 135(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980;in Northern Ireland, as in Article 2(2) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.
2005-11-14
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2005-07-18
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2004-07-22
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2004-01-29
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2003-10-15
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2003-07-01
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
2003-03-24
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
1971-05-27
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
original version
Text at this date