Research and analysis

Consideration of barriers to research: part 1

Recommendations to reduce barriers to research, using compounds described by the third generation synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists generic definition.

• From: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
• Published: 30 July 2021
• Last updated: 12 December 2022 — See all updates

Documents

Letter from the Chair of the Advisory Council to Kit Malthouse (accessible version)

HTML

Letter from the Chair of the Advisory Council to Kit Malthouse

PDF, 164 KB, 3 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Considerations of barriers to research part 1: synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists

PDF, 726 KB, 52 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

In December 2016 the Misuse of Drugs Act and Regulations were amended to include a generic definition for third generation synthetic cannabinoids. This amendment, however, inadvertently also controlled a large number of compounds that had no psychoactivity, and thus are not SCRA compounds.

In 2017 the then Policing Minister wrote to the ACMD asking the Council to review the barriers to research caused by the inadvertent control of non-SCRA compounds. The ACMD made some initial advice in late 2017 that included potential short- and long-term solutions. In January 2019 the short-term advice was accepted but the long-term suggestions were all deemed unfeasible.

After reviewing the situation further with a call for evidence, consideration of international approaches, and additional representations from the research community this advice was formulated to make other long-term options available.

Government response

Government response to the part 1 report and commission of part 2 work.

Published 30 July 2021
Last updated 12 December 2022 + show all updates

1. 12 December 2022

   Addition of link to government response.

2. 30 July 2021

   First published.