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Government Announces Way Forward on Drugs

13 October 2006

The Government has moved to reclassify the highly-addictive club drug ‘crystal meth’ in recognition of the harm it can cause to individuals and society as a whole.

An Order was tabled in both Houses of Parliament yesterday to reclassify 
crystal methylamphetamine from Class B to Class A, following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). 

The Government today outlines its commitment to the current classification system, which classifies drugs according to medical and social harms, as well as the type of illegal activity undertaken in regard to that drug.

In its response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report on drug classification, laid before Parliament today, the Government re-iterates the key priorities of its drugs strategy – education, enforcement and treatment – and says that it has decided, after careful consideration, not to proceed with a review of the classification system at this time.

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
 
“It is important that there is a coherent system in place to categorise drugs and determine the penalties for their manufacture, possession and supply. I believe that the existing classification system does this effectively, allowing for clear and meaningful distinctions to be made between drugs.

“I have spent the past few months meeting frontline police, victims of crime, drug addicts and others involved in the criminal justice system. None of them have raised the classification system as a concern that affects them with me. I believe it is vital that we focus our energies on tackling drugs supply, getting more drug users into treatment and educating young people about the dangers of drugs.”

The Government will continue to focus on the high harms caused by Class A drugs, which to the individual can be acute physical harm (including risk of overdose and risks associated with injecting) as well as other harms such as dependence and addiction, and psychological harms; to society these can be the effects from intoxication and altered behaviour as well as associated acquisitive and organised crime.

Mr Coaker also announced today that the Government would not be implementing a proposal, consulted on earlier this year, to set a threshold for the amount of drugs a person can possess without being charged with dealing.

The responses to the consultation on Section 2 of the Drugs Act 2005, which proposed introducing a national threshold, showed a lack of consensus on both the provision and the level at which the threshold should be set. In the light of these considerations the Government has decided not to commence this provision at the present time. Mr Coaker said he will however keep the matter under review.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has confirmed that not introducing this provision will have no adverse effect on policing. It is confident that existing tactics are sufficient to ensure that dealers are brought to justice. ACPO will shortly publish updated guidance on policing cannabis.

Mr Coaker said:

“The Home Secretary has already committed to devolve more responsibility to frontline services such as the police. I am extremely impressed at the effective work the police have done in tackling drug related crime and don’t want to introduce any measures at this time that might increase the burden on forces and affect their performance.

“The Government’s Drug Strategy is directing thousands of people out of crime and into treatment every week and this is benefiting communities across the country.   Over the last two years, acquisitive crime, which is largely driven by drug related crime, fell by 16 per cent and continues to fall.  The Government is determined to build on this progress, whilst also taking more drugs off our streets, putting dealers behind bars and making sure young people are informed about the harms drugs cause.”

The Home Office today published a statistical bulletin covering the extent of illicit drug use among 16 to 59 year olds in England and Wales in 2005/06 and trends in drug use since 1998, which marks the beginning of the Government’s Drug Strategy, based on data from the British Crime Survey. 

The main findings are that:

• overall drug use, in particulaR cannabis use, has decreased significantly;
• overall drug use among young people, aged 16 to 24 years old, has decreased significantly and Class A drug use among young people has remained stable since 1998;
• although class A drug use amongst 16 to 59 year olds has increased since 1998, the use of Class A drugs overall has remained generally stable since 2000.
• cocaine use has increased in the past year, however overall stimulant use has remained stable since 1998.

Notes to editors

1. Drug Misuse Declared: Findings from the BCS 2005/06 is available at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html (new window)
2. The Government response to the Science and Technology Committee Report on drugs classifications (Making a Hash of it?) was laid before Parliament today (Friday 13 October 2006). The response is available online at www.homeoffice.gov.uk and www.drugs.gov.uk .
3.  A copy of the summary of responses to the Home Office consultation on Section 2 of the Drugs Act 2005 and the original consultation letter are available online at www.homeoffice.gov.uk and http://www.drugs.gov.uk/publication-search/reducing-supply/thresholds-drugs-act-05?version=1. (new window)
4. To reclassify methylamphetamine from a Class B to a Class A drug an amendment is required to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Such an amendment is made by an Order in Privy Council which is first subject to the affirmative resolution procedure, requiring a draft of the Order to be debated in both Houses of Parliament. This Parliamentary process has now begun with the laying of the draft of the Order yesterday – Thursday 12th October. Subject to this parliamentary process, the Government will make this law change at the earliest opportunity.

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