§ Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry to discover whether the cough linctus Phensedyl is an addictive drug and whether restrictions should be placed upon its sale.
§ Mr. MayhewPhensedyl, which is widely used to treat coughs, can be sold to the general public only under the supervision of a pharmacist.
Restrictions on the sale of Phensedyl under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 would be justifiable only if there was evidence that it was being misused to such an extent as to constitute a social problem. Although there are occasional reports of misuse of Phensedyl, the advisory council on the misuse of drugs, which is responsible for considering whether grounds exist for imposing such control, has not, on the evidence available, recommended extending them to this preparation.