§ 3. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the dangerous hallucinogenic properties of such new drugs as mescalin and lysergic acid diethylamide; and when he proposes to bring these drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Acts.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerYes, Sir. I am informed that there is no evidence that these drugs are addiction-producing; it would not, therefore, be appropriate to control them under the Dangerous Drugs Act. 1951.
§ Dr. JohnsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that, in spite of what he said, the first of these drugs is what one might call a somewhat fashionable drug today, owing to the unusual visual experiences which it produces, while the second is a very powerful drug which is in frequent use at psychiatric clinics and gives most unusual effects? Will he watch the use of these and related substances very closely?
§ Mr. ButlerI will gladly receive any information given by my hon. Friend. These drugs could not appropriately be brought under the scope of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933, and I am not sure that to list them as poisons would not tend to draw attention to them and stimulate demand. I am doing my best to control distribution, and I shall value any information which my hon. Friend can give me.