§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to include(a) khat, (b) gamma hydroxybutyrate, and (c) ketamine hydro-chloride on the list of the proscribed drugs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanWe have no plans at present to schedule these substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The key criterion in the 1971 Act is whether the misuse of a substance has or is capable of having harmful effects sufficient to constitute a social problem. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs considered the misuse of khat in 1988 and ketamine in 1992 against this criterion and reached the view that bringing them within the 1971 Act controls would not be appropriate.
We are keeping the situation in respect of all three substances under review.