introduction gemma

Question 1

definition of a drug

Answer 1

• A medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body

Question 2

NHS definition of substance abuse

Answer 2

• The continued misuse of any mind altering substance that severely affects a person’s physical and mental health, social situation and responsibilities.

Question 3

types of drugs - natural

Answer 3

• Natural- can be found naturally in certain plants/fungal species

Question 4

5 functional classification of drugs

Answer 4

• Opiates
• Depressants
• Tranquilizers
• Stimulants
• Hallucinogens
• Others e.g. Nicotine, Cannabis, Volatile solvents

Question 5

types of drugs semi synthetic

Answer 5

starts off from a natural source but is then chemically altered or extracted

Question 6

types of drugs synthentic

Answer 6

manufactured in a laboratory from chemicals

Question 7

types of drugs medically derived

Answer 7

come from legitimate sources but end up being sold on the illicit drug market

Question 8

2 examples of opiates

Answer 8

Heroin, Morphine

Question 9

2 examples of depressants

Answer 9

Alcohol, Barbiturates

Question 10

an example of tranquilliser

Answer 10

Diazepam

Question 11

3 examples of stimulants

Answer 11

Cocaine, Ecstasy, Amphetamines

Question 12

2 examples of hallucinogens

Answer 12

Magic mushrooms, LSD

Question 13

history of drug legislation

Answer 13

• 1868 the first regulation restricted opium sales to the pharmacist
• The poisons and pharmacy act of 1908
• In 1912 Britain was a signatory of the international opium convention in the Hague, this was the first global attempt at drug control
• Defence of the Realm Act of 1914, Regulation 40B added in 1916
• The Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920

Question 14

the dangerous drugs act 1920 amendments

Answer 14

Amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act between 1925-1964 to add cannabis and amphetamines
- In 1967 the Dangerous Drugs Act was amended again, it restricted the prescribing of heroin for treatment of addiction to doctors licenced by the Home Office

Question 15

misuse of drugs act 1971

Answer 15

• Primary legislation for the United Kingdom, came fully into effect in 1973
• Act established the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD)
• Prevents the misuse of controlled drugs
• Imposes a complete ban on the possession, supply, manufacture, import and export of controlled drugs (except as allowed by regulations/licences)

Question 16

misuse of drugs act- classification

Answer 16

• 3 tier system of classification which provides a framework within which criminal penalties are set with reference to the harm a drug has or is capable of having when misused and the type of illegal activity undertaken with regard to that drug
• Class A
• Class B
• Class C

Question 17

class A examples

Answer 17

includes heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, LSD

Question 18

class B examples

Answer 18

includes amphetamine, cannabis, ketamine (any class B drug prepared for injection it will move up to a class A drug

Question 19

class C examples

Answer 19

includes GHB, tranquilisers and anabolic steroids

Question 20

changes to the drug classes

Answer 20

• The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs – review and give advice to the government
• 2004 Cannabis moved from Class B to Class C, moved back to Class B in 2009
• 2006 Ketamine Class C, moved to Class B in 2014
• 2007 Methamphetamine moved from Class B to Class A

Question 21

misuse of drugs regulation 2001

Answer 21

• Concerned with the therapeutic use of drugs
• Regulates the availability of controlled drugs by placing them in 1 of 5 schedules
• The schedule into which a drug is placed primarily dictates the extent to which it is lawful to import, export, produce, supply, administer and possess the drug
• Imposes requirements around prescription writing, record keeping, labelling and safe custody

Question 22

how many schedules in the misuse of drugs regulation

Answer 22

5

Question 23

misuse of drugs regulations-

schedule 1

Answer 23

not authorised for medical use, can only be supplied, possessed or administered in exceptional circumstances under a special Home Office Licence e.g. LSD

Question 24

misuse of drugs regulations- schedule 2

Answer 24

can be prescribed, legally possessed and supplied by a pharmacist or doctor. Possession is lawful by anyone with a prescription. Registers must be maintained in relation to the drugs acquisition and use e.g. amphetamines, methadone

Question 25

misuse of drugs regulations- schedule 3

Answer 25

drugs are subjected to the same prescription requirements as Schedule 2, but without the requirement to maintain registers e.g. barbiturates

Question 26

misuse of drugs regulations- schedule 4i

Answer 26

drugs in this schedule can be lawfully possessed under prescription e.g. minor tranquilisers

Question 27

misuse of drugs regulations- schedule 4ii

Answer 27

drugs in this schedule can be possessed as long as they are clearly for personal use e.g. steroids

Question 28

misuse of drugs regulations- schedule 5

Answer 28

drugs in this schedule are usually low strength and can be sold over the counter, legally possessed without a prescription e.g. cough medicine that contains codeine

Question 29

non controlled substances

Answer 29

- Most substances are covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act - These ones aren’t: Alcohol Solvents Cigarettes Amyl Nitrates (poppers)

Question 30

legal highs

Answer 30

- Psychoactive substances which were designed to replicate the effects of illegal substances whilst remaining legal - A psychoactive substance is ‘any substance which is capable of producing a psychoactive affect in a person who consumes it’ - A substance produces a psychoactive effect if ‘by stimulating or depressing the persons central nervous system, it affects the persons mental functioning or emotional state’

Question 31

temporary class drug orders

Answer 31

- On 15th November 2011, The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was amended - Enables the Home Secretary to place a new psychoactive substance causing sufficient concern about its potential harms under temporary control by invoking a temporary class drug order - Orders come into immediate effect and last for 12 months - Once a substance becomes a temporary class drug, it is illegal to import, export, produce or supply it - Possession of a temporary class drug is not an offence

Question 32

physchoactivse substances act 2016

Answer 32

- Came into force on 26th May 2016 - Makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, possess on custodial premises, import or export psychoactive substances - Covers any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect - The maximum sentence will be 7 years imprisonment - Excludes legitimate substances, such as food, alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, caffeine and medical products, as well as controlled drugs, which continue to be regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Question 33

psychoactive substances act 2016- aims

Answer 33

- To put an end to the open sale in stores and online in order to protect people from the risks posed by the untested, unknown potentially harmful drugs - To put an end to the ‘cat and mouse’ game where new drugs with slight differences in chemical make up appear - To reduce the number of people using the substances - To reduce the various health and social harms associated with psychoactive substances such as hospital admissions, deaths and violence

Question 34

legal highs spice

Answer 34

- Spice is the generic term used for hundreds of synthetic versions of cannabis - herbal mixtures mixed with Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRAs) - SCRAs have an effect on many of the body's cells, not just the brain - Chemicals mainly imported from China - A spice solution costing a few pounds can be soaked into a single A4 sheet of paper, when dry it can be cut into 100 units which sell for around £5 each - It is reported that prices for Spice in prison are higher

Question 35

spice problems

Answer 35

- Lack of quality control – the amount of synthetic cannabinoid in each unit is not known - Little if any safety data – long term effects of use are unknown - Many are much more potent than traditional cannabis, some up to 100x more - Some cannot be detected by current testing procedures – possibly why use is high in prison - April 2017 in Manchester – 58 ambulance call outs to the city centre in one day were related to the use of Spice