Drugs Act 2005

The Drugs Bill contains a package of anti-drugs measures that include expanding police powers and cracking down on dealers.

New police powers outlined in the Bill include the authority to test drug offenders on arrest rather than when charged and to require a person with a positive test to be assessed by a drugs worker.

At present, officers can only insist that a suspect take a drug test after being formally charged.

The police would also be able to order an ultrasound examination of dealers suspected of storing drugs in their stomach or in a body cavity.

A new drug intervention order would also be introduced to address drug misuse by people committing anti-social acts, and dealers will get tougher sentences if they supply drugs near a school.

The legislation builds on the Home Office's Drug Interventions Programme, a scheme to tackle offenders who commit crime to fund their drug addiction.

A legal loophole allowing the sale of fresh magic mushrooms will be closed.

The Home Office has stressed that the changes to legislation will be backed by "massive investment in drug treatment and rehabilitation," which appears to suggest that the legislative changes will mean large increases in the number of people forced to undergo treatment and rehab.
 

House of Commons

First reading: December 16 2004 (HC Bill 17)

Second reading: January 18 2005

Committee stage:

• 1st sitting: January 27 2005 (am)
• 2nd sitting: January 27 2005 (pm)
• 3rd sitting: February 1 2005 (am)
• 4th sitting: February 1 2005 (pm)
• 5th sitting: February 3 2005 (am)
• 6th sitting: February 3 2005 (pm)

Bill as amended in the committee HC Bill 55

Remaining stages: February 22 2005

House of Lords

First reading: February 23 2005 (HL Bill 32)

Second reading: April 4 2005

Committee and all remaining stages: April 6 2005

Royal Assent: April 7 2005