Drug Classification: Making A Hash Of It
Encyclopedia
Drug classification: making a hash of it? is the title of a report authored by the UK Science and Technology Select Committee
and submitted to the British House of Commons
. It was published in July 2006. The report suggested that the current system of recreational drug classification in the UK
was arbitrary and unscientific, and suggested a more scientific measure of harm be used for classifying drugs. The report also strongly criticised the decision to place fresh psychedelic mushroom
s in Class A—the same category as cocaine
and heroin.
handling of scientific advice, risk and evidence in policy-making. The report was the second of three reports into different areas of policy: the first report ("Watching the Directives: Scientific Advice on the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive") examined the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive; the third ("Identity Card Technologies: Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence"http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmsctech/1031/1031.pdf) examined the government's ID cards proposal.
It was recommended that future meetings be made open to the public, so as to strengthen public confidence in the Council. The Chairman was specifically criticised for showing little interest in improving the Council's approach with regards to transparency. The Council was also criticised for undertaking decisions in relation to methylamphetamine (see also: #Ecstacy and amphetamines) for apparently political reasons.
The report made several recommendations relating to the operations and composition of the ACMD, on the basis that it holds a critical role as the only body which the Home Office is legally obligated to consult before undertaking decisions relating to drugs policy. The report remarked that it was "perturbing" that the Chairman of the ACMD and the Home Secretary hold contradictory views on drugs classification, and also suggested that the term of the Chairman of the ACMD be limited to five years. With regards to what the more general approach in relation to the ACMD should be, the report recommended that: that provision be made for departments other than the Home Office to benefit from the advice of the ACMD, as "the current levels of co-ordination appear to be entirely inadequate"; that the ACMD should more proactively give scientific advice in relation to drugs policy to the Department for Education and Skills and to the Department for Health; that the composition and workings of the ACMD be independently reviewed every five years; and that the Chairman of the Council always be accompanied by another Council member in meetings with ministers (although it was emphasised that it did not recommend this because it believed that the current Chairman had acted improperly).
It agreed with Clarke and cited the widespread confusion today over the legal status of cannabis as evidence of a failure by previous governments to adequately educate the public on drugs policy changes.
and alcohol
can lead to the subsequent misuse of illegal drugs and that the use of "soft drugs" such as cannabis
can lead to the abuse of harder drugs such as heroin:
Professor Blakemore remarked that whilst the attitude to cannabis use in the Netherlands
is more relaxed than it is in this country and whilst cannabis use amongst the population there is a little less than it is in this country, hard drug use is about one third of the rate in this country (thus debunking the Gateway theory).
in light of its "widespread usage amongst certain groups". The decision of the Council to not review the classification of Methamphetamine
because of the signal that reclassification might send to potential users was heavily criticised, with the report remarking that "[to invoke this nonscientific judgement call as the primary justification for its position [regarding Amphetamine] has muddied the water with respect to its role."
The categories of harm included 3 main categories and 3 subcategories for each:
The researchers used the proposed classification system to test illegal and some legal substances including alcohol
and tobacco
among others. The new classification system suggested that heroin, cocaine
, alcohol
, benzodiazepines, amphetamine
, and tobacco
have a high or a very high risk of harm, whilst Cannabis
, LSD
, and Ecstasy
were all below the two legal drugs.
Science and Technology Select Committee
The Science and Technology Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The original Science and Technology was abolished upon the creation of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee on November 6, 2007...
and submitted to the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. It was published in July 2006. The report suggested that the current system of recreational drug classification in the UK
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an Act of Parliament which represents UK action in line with treaty commitments under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic...
was arbitrary and unscientific, and suggested a more scientific measure of harm be used for classifying drugs. The report also strongly criticised the decision to place fresh psychedelic mushroom
Psychedelic mushroom
Psilocybin mushrooms are fungi that contain the psychoactive compounds psilocybin and psilocin. There are multiple colloquial terms for psilocybin mushrooms, the most common being shrooms or magic mushrooms....
s in Class A—the same category as cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and heroin.
Background
Drug classification: making a hash of it? formed part of a major inquiry, launched in November 2005, into the Government’shandling of scientific advice, risk and evidence in policy-making. The report was the second of three reports into different areas of policy: the first report ("Watching the Directives: Scientific Advice on the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive") examined the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive; the third ("Identity Card Technologies: Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence"http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmsctech/1031/1031.pdf) examined the government's ID cards proposal.
Context
A legal loophole meant that fresh magic mushrooms were not treated as controlled drugs, providing that they had not been 'prepared' (i.e. dried, packaged, cooked, etc.). The government made them a controlled substance by means of a clarification to the law, rather than as a reclassification decision, and there was thus no obligation to consult the ACMD. Whilst the government did consult the ACMD, there was not the full consultation process there ordinarily would be.ACMD
The working practices—primarily, excessive secrecy and a resulting lack of transparency—of the Council were criticised:It was recommended that future meetings be made open to the public, so as to strengthen public confidence in the Council. The Chairman was specifically criticised for showing little interest in improving the Council's approach with regards to transparency. The Council was also criticised for undertaking decisions in relation to methylamphetamine (see also: #Ecstacy and amphetamines) for apparently political reasons.
The report made several recommendations relating to the operations and composition of the ACMD, on the basis that it holds a critical role as the only body which the Home Office is legally obligated to consult before undertaking decisions relating to drugs policy. The report remarked that it was "perturbing" that the Chairman of the ACMD and the Home Secretary hold contradictory views on drugs classification, and also suggested that the term of the Chairman of the ACMD be limited to five years. With regards to what the more general approach in relation to the ACMD should be, the report recommended that: that provision be made for departments other than the Home Office to benefit from the advice of the ACMD, as "the current levels of co-ordination appear to be entirely inadequate"; that the ACMD should more proactively give scientific advice in relation to drugs policy to the Department for Education and Skills and to the Department for Health; that the composition and workings of the ACMD be independently reviewed every five years; and that the Chairman of the Council always be accompanied by another Council member in meetings with ministers (although it was emphasised that it did not recommend this because it believed that the current Chairman had acted improperly).
Cannabis
The report stated that changes to drugs policy and especially to the classification of individual drugs must be accompanied by an adequate information campaign. It noted that the government of the time was beginning to understand the implications of muddying the water regarding drugs classification, and quoted Charles Clarke (then-home secretary) in his implicit criticism of his predecessors' actions:It agreed with Clarke and cited the widespread confusion today over the legal status of cannabis as evidence of a failure by previous governments to adequately educate the public on drugs policy changes.
Gateway theory
The report found that there was no evidence to support the Gateway theory, which holds that the use of legal drugs such as tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
can lead to the subsequent misuse of illegal drugs and that the use of "soft drugs" such as cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
can lead to the abuse of harder drugs such as heroin:
Professor Blakemore remarked that whilst the attitude to cannabis use in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
is more relaxed than it is in this country and whilst cannabis use amongst the population there is a little less than it is in this country, hard drug use is about one third of the rate in this country (thus debunking the Gateway theory).
Magic mushrooms
The government's decision to outlaw magic mushrooms and classify them as a Class A controlled drug by means other than a reclassification meant that the ACMD was not properly consulted as would otherwise have been required by law. The report criticised this and criticised the Chairman of the Council for allowing this and the Council generally for not speaking out at the time.Ecstacy and amphetamines
The report criticised the Council for having not reviewed the Class A status of MDMA (Ecstasy)Ecstasy
Ecstasy may refer to:* Ecstasy , a trance or trance-like state in which an individual transcends normal consciousness* Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness characterized by expanded spiritual awareness, visions or absolute euphoria...
in light of its "widespread usage amongst certain groups". The decision of the Council to not review the classification of Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
because of the signal that reclassification might send to potential users was heavily criticised, with the report remarking that "[to invoke this nonscientific judgement call as the primary justification for its position [regarding Amphetamine] has muddied the water with respect to its role."
Revision to drug classification
In a report recently published in the Lancet Journal, researchers have introduced an alternative method for drug classification in the UK. This new system uses a “nine category matrix of harm, with an expert Delphic procedure, to assess the harms of a range of illicit drugs in an evidence-based fashion.”The categories of harm included 3 main categories and 3 subcategories for each:
- Physical harm
- (a) Acute
- (b) Chronic
- (c) Intravenous harm
- Dependence
- (a) Intensity of pleasure
- (b) Psychological dependence
- (c) Physical dependence
- Social harm
- (a) Intoxication
- (b) Other social harms
- (c) Health-care costs
The researchers used the proposed classification system to test illegal and some legal substances including alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
among others. The new classification system suggested that heroin, cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, benzodiazepines, amphetamine
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
have a high or a very high risk of harm, whilst Cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
, and Ecstasy
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMA is an entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. In popular culture, MDMA has become widely known as "ecstasy" , usually referring to its street pill form, although this term may also include the presence of possible adulterants...
were all below the two legal drugs.