§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria used as a basis for the scheduling of drugs in the benzodiazepine group; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorDrugs are added to the list of controlled drugs in schedule 2 to the Misuse of drugs Act 1971
(a) if they are being or appear to be likely to be misused in such a way as to have or be capable of having harmful effects sufficient to constitute a social problem; or(b) in pursuance of any treaty, convention, or other agreement or arrangement to which the United Kingdom is a party.No amendment to the list of controlled drugs can be proposed without prior consultation with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
The council considered in 1980–81 whether control of benzodiazepines under the Misuse of Drugs Act was justified, and declined to make any recommendation. However in February 1984, 33 benzodiazepines were added to schedule 4 of the United Nations convention on psychotropic substances 1971. The Government intend to ratify that convention and we will shortly be considering, following consultation with interested bodies and with the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, how those drugs should be scheduled under the misuse of drugs legislation to enable us to meet our future convention obligations.