Research and analysis

ACMD: further consideration of the synthetic cannabinoids

 In July 2009 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) provided advice on harmful synthetic compounds.

Documents

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs - further consideration of the synthetic cannabinoids (2012) (PDF file - 236kb)

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Details

 In July 2009 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) provided advice on harmful synthetic compounds (synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists). These compounds had been identified in samples of smoking mixes such as ‘Spice’ and have a pharmacology similar to that of cannabis. At the time, these previously unreported compounds were outside the control of the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971).

It was concluded that these novel substances contained compounds with the potential for harm, similar to the harms of cannabis. Therefore, the ACMD recommended the compounds considered in that review should be made Class B and placed in Schedule I of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (2001) under a generic definition.

Published 18 October 2012