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The Misuse of Drugs Act, and the UN Conventions it
is based upon, fail to regulate against the MISUSE of
any drug. Instead they attempt to prohibit ALL USE of
illegal drugs while permitting ALL USE of legal
drugs. They fail to adopt internationally accepted
definitions of drug misuse which refer only to harm
to user. They fail to distinguish harmful use from
relatively safe use, denying people the right to use
illegal drugs as safely as legal drugs. The Home
Office says "only a tiny minority of users
become addicts (unlike, for example, tobacco and
heroin which are highly addictive)" [p.19, Let's Get Real - communicating with
the public about drugs (Home Office) ]. They then fail to regulate only
against that misuse.
Health Advisory Service publication
'The Substance of Young Needs - review 2001', p.4:
WHO's International Classification of
Diseases, ICD 10 (1992): "Harmful use is defined
as 'a pattern of psychoactive substance use that is
causing damage to health … either physical or
mental' ".
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/YoungPeople/1042216356/substance_young_needs.pdf
Audit Commission's 'Changing
habits', p.9:
"Defining drug misuse and dependence:
Views differ on how drug misuse should be defined
(Ref.8). Some argue that since the use of any illicit
drug may result in harm or even death, the term
`misuse' or `abuse' should always apply. Others
choose to distinguish between `use' and `misuse',
often to recognise that a significant number of
people who use drugs in an occasional or recreational
context do not develop drug-related problems.
Clinical definitions in turn describe a variety of
distinct disorders related to the misuse of
substances, including intoxication, harmful use,
dependence syndrome and withdrawal state. For
example, the World Health
Organisation's International Classification of
Disease (ICD-10) - the most commonly used diagnostic
classification in England - distinguishes between
harmful use and dependence syndrome:
Harmful use is defined as a pattern of psychoactive
substance use that is causing damage to
health...either physical or mental.
Dependence syndrome is defined as a cluster of
behavioural, cognitive and physiological phenomena
that develop after repeated substance misuse and that
typically include a strong desire to take the drug,
difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in
use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority
given to drug use than other activities and
obligations, increased tolerance and sometimes a
physical withdrawal state (Ref.9). Ongoing debate
about terminology and the need for greater
specificity in a clinical setting inevitably mean
that a number of different terms continue to be used
to describe drug-taking behaviour. However, for the
purposes of this report, the terms 'drug use' and
'drug misuse' will be used throughout, adapted from
previous definitions adopted by the Health Advisory
Service (HAS) (Ref.10) and Advisory Council on the
Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) (Ref.11):
*Drug use will be used to describe illegal and
illicit drug taking that does not cause any perceived
immediate harm - even though it may carry some risk
of harm, such as health problems.
*Drug misuse will be used to describe illegal and
illicit drug taking which leads a person to
experience social, psychological, physical or legal
problems related to intoxication and/or regular
excessive consumption and/or dependence. Although a
number of illicit drugs may lead to harm, drug misuse
often involves the use of opiates, particularly
heroin, as well as crack cocaine or other stimulants,
often taken by the same people as a pattern of
'polydrug' use".
http://ww2.audit-commission.gov.uk/publications/pdf/changinghabits.pdf
Drug Prevention and
Schools, Circular number 4/95:
" 'Drug misuse' is defined as the non-medical
use of drugs that are only intended for use in
medical treatment, and the use of drugs that have no
accepted medical purpose".
www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/guidanceonthelaw/4_95/annex1.htm
Health Advisory Service publication
'The Substance of Young Needs - review 2001', p.3:
"In the view of the HAS, misuse encompasses use
that is 'harmful' (World Health Organisation, 1981),
associated with dependent use or as part of a wider
spectrum of problematic or harmful behaviour".
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/YoungPeople/1042216356/substance_young_needs.pdf
Health Advisory Service publication
'The Substance of Young Needs - review 2001', p.5:
"Misuse is a broad term favoured in most
reports. It encompasses the definitions of harmful
use and dependence or drug taking that is part of a
wider spectrum of problematic or harmful
behaviour".
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/YoungPeople/1042216356/substance_young_needs.pdf
Health Advisory Service publication
'The Substance of Young Needs - review 2001', p.4:
"The Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs
(ACMD) in 1982 combined abuse and dependence
referring to the term 'problem' drug use as 'any
person who experiences social, psychological,
physical or legal problems related to intoxication
and/or regular excessive consumption and/or
dependence as a result of use of drugs".
http://www.drugs.gov.uk/ReportsandPublications/YoungPeople/1042216356/substance_young_needs.pdf
