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Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

  • 1971
  • Primary

The principal statute controlling the possession, supply, production, and import of controlled drugs in the United Kingdom. It classifies drugs into Classes A, B, and C, with penalties scaling to reflect the severity of the classification. Section 23 gives police a specific power to stop, search, and detain for the purpose of finding controlled drugs.

Last updated 24 September 2026