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Psychoactive Substances Bill [HL]

I shall take that last point first. From time to time, new and very dangerous chemical compounds come into the market in the UK, as we know from the

whole experience of tackling new psychoactive substances. The provision is there to allow the possibility, in extreme circumstances, the likes of which we cannot envisage at this stage, on scientific advice and on advice from the police on a new substance coming into the UK and putting lives at risk, that we can act in a prompt way.

7.15 pm

The regulation-making power in the Bill is inserted for a number of reasons—to ensure that any unintended consequences can be remedied, for example, having excluded substances mistakenly or because substances have been undesirably caught, such as flowers. It is also for substances that have a legitimate purpose, such as for industrial uses or for healthcare, and it would enable a description of a substance to be updated to reflect underlying changes to the regulatory regime in respect of that substance—for example, to reflect future revocation or replacement of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. I know that the noble Lord will probably not find that entirely satisfactory, but it is something that we feel is important to allow us—

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
762 cc1997-8 
Session
2015-16
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
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