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Controlled substances

Psychoactive substances and their precursors whose distribution is forbidden by law or limited to medical and pharmaceutical channels. The substances actually subject to this control differ somewhat between countries. The term is often used to refer to psychoactive drugs and precursors covered by international drug conventions {the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, amended by a 1972 Protocol; the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances: the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances). At both international and national levels (as in the 1970 United States Controlled- Substances Act), controlled drugs are commonly classified according to a hierarchy of schedules, reflecting different degrees of restriction of availability.

Ireland (from An Garda Siochana):

A controlled drug is an illegal drug where the substance, product or preparation is specified in the Schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.  The Act has been amended on several occasions by subsequent legislation.   The main objective of the Act is to ensure the availability of controlled drugs for medical and scientific purposes only and to prevent the non-medical use of those drugs. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1977, as amended, for example, by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984, prohibits the import, export, production, possession, sale and supply of controlled drugs unless carried out in accordance with the terms outlined in regulations made under the Act. To see the most recent up to date list of controlled substances please refer to Statutory Instrument 173/2017 – Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017.

Since September 2005, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has managed the application and issue process for controlled drug licenses on behalf of the Department of Health. The HPRA carries out inspections of manufacturers and distributors of controlled drugs, as well as some other operators as required, ensuring compliance with the relevant requirements. Controlled drugs include certain tablets and other medicines that can be purchased on prescription. However if a person is in possession of a controlled drug without a prescription for either personal use or to sell or supply they are committing an offence under the Misuse Use of Drugs Act 1977 as amended. To see the most recent up to date list of controlled substances please refer to Statutory Instrument 173/2017 – Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2017. The following are the most common type of controlled drugs seized in Ireland: cannabis herb and resin, cocaine/ crack cocaine, ecstasy, heroin (Diamorphine), ketamine, amphetamines, GHB (gammahydroxbutyrate), LSD (lysergic acid), new psychoactive substances (Includes 950 substances), tablets (Controlled).

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) have a role in regulating controlled drugs and precursor chemicals in Ireland.

For information about European drug law, see the European Legal Database on Drugs

See also, information from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the independent and quasi-judicial monitoring body for the implementation of the United Nations international drug control conventions.

WHO Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms