Talk:Controlled Drug

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[edit] Re 'prohibition' of cannabis

I read: Drugs which are not used medically, and thus their possession and supply is prohibited; e.g. cannabis and LSD and I dont think it is quite true. I believe Sativex, a cannabis-based medicine, may be supplied legally if presecibed on a named patient basis, using a prescription process which registers the patient's name with the Home Office. The Sativex, however, must be imported (from Canada), despite the fact that it is actually made in the UK. Laurel Bush 12:23, 31 January 2006 (UTC).

The quote is from the BNF and so is 'true'. However the Schedules give a general guidence and with Home Secretary approval the regulations can be ammended or exemptions given, as you mentioned. However in general, these drugs are not medically routinely used and a normal UK doctor would not consider using or be allowed to use such drugs. David Ruben ^Talk 16:59, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Article subject

I am not clear as to what the article is about. Is it all substances listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971? Or such substances when licensed as medicines? Or what? (I believe the listed substances may be licensed for a variety of purposes, including special purposes which include research and industrial purposes.) Is Controlled Drug defined by the act? I believe many so-called natural medicines are not listed under the act but are subject to the control of licensing systems, and increasingly so. Laurel Bush 16:27, 31 January 2006 (UTC).

The latter purpose such substances when licensed as medicines. The main article on the Act describes well the defined Classes of drugs (A, B, C..) rated upon their potential for harm. However in addition the Act makes provision for use of some agents for medicinal and research purposes. This was my intension in creating this article, specifically to help explain the [CD] mark applied against certian drugs in the UK. The designation of 'Controlled Drug' imposes both restrictions on who may prescribe, the responsibilities placed upon the prescriber on whether to start treatment, dosages & quantities supplied, special regulations on how to fill out a prescription form, having ones own stock, disposal etc.

In practice the Act does not list individual drugs and their specific status, but rather granted the Home Secretary the powers to apply appropriate regulations (if I understood Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 correctly). So my aim was not to comprehensively list every drug, nor that within a particular schedule level, some drugs are exempt from some of the regulations. This is far too complex and wikipedia is both not the place such complexity nor to risk being considered authoritative on some a medico-legal issue.

That said amongst doctors and patients in the UK, the term 'Controlled Drug' does refer to a specific set of medicinal drugs, and is therefore quite distinct from how I might interpret the terms 'Controlled substances' or illicit drugs in the media.

I hope this helps explain my intensions, please comment further if the direction/tone/explanation of any section is unclear.David Ruben ^Talk 16:54, 31 January 2006 (UTC)