§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review whether the use of the drug Gammahydroxybutyrate should be controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. [26719]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), an independent body established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to advise the Government on drug misuse issues, has a duty to keep under review drugs which are being, or appear to them likely to be, misused and to advise the Government on measures for preventing their misuse or dealing with social problems connected with their misuse.
The Advisory Council considered the misuse of Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) in November 1996. After examining the available evidence, the Council reached the view that the harmful effects of the misuse of the drug in 397W the United Kingdom were not sufficient to constitute a social problem, a criterion which is laid down by the Act. It concluded that GHB should not therefore be recommended for control but that its misuse should continue to be monitored. We continue to keep the matter under review.
Although not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, GHB is subject to control under the Medicines Act 1968.