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UK DRUG SCENE TIMELINE: 1960–1994

1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1960 Firstheroinaddictundertheageof20yearsappearedontheHomeOfficefiles.

1960MetropolitanPolice(MP)DangerousDrugsOffice(setupin1954)–comprisedfourofficers.

1963MetropolitanPolicereportrevealedofficersbelievedanumberofdoctorswereoverprescribingtoaddictsandthatthesurpluswasbeingsold.

1964Thefirstyearwhenmorewhitesthannon-whiteswereconvictedofcannabisrelatedoffencesintheUK.Thetotalnumberofconvictions,544,wasalittlelowerthanintheprevioustwoyears.

1961ReportofInterdepartmentalCommitteeonDrugAddictionpublished.ChairedbySirRussell–laterLord–Brain

TheCommitteeconcluded:“theincidenceofaddictiontodangerousdrugsisstillverysmall…nocausetofearthatanyrealincreaseisatpresentoccurring.

1964Dangerous Drugs Act 1964 Introducedamainnewoffenceofpermittingpremisestobeusedforthepurposeofsmokingcannabis.

Drugs (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1964Bannedtheunauthorisedpossessionofamphetaminetocountermisuse(particularlyDrinamyl–‘purplehearts’)byvariousyouthsub-cultures,mainly‘mods’.

The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs ratified by the UK

1960Atthetime,themaindrugcontrollegislationinforcewastheDangerous Drug Act 1951.

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WhileDruglinkdidnotstartevenasanewsletteruntil1975,hereisasimplifiedoverviewoftheUKdrugsceneasitdevelopeduptothepointwherewehad,forthefirsttimein1995,across-governmentstrategyfordealingwithdrugs.Thetimelinecontinuesinthenextissue.CompliedbyHarry ShapiroandGeoff Monaghan.

1960 Number of known notified users: 437

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UK DRUG SCENE TIMELINE: 1960–1994

1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969

1965Number of known notified users: 927

1967Number of known notified users: 1729

1968Dangerous Drugs Act: R v Finnigan Ajournalistwaswritinganarticleondrugmisusewhichhighlightedhoweasyitwasforyoungpeopletoobtainthem.Inordertoacquirematerialforthearticle,shewenttoaflatandboughtcannabis.Shepleadedguiltytopossessionandwassentencedtoninemonth’simprisonment.Shehadnopreviousconvictions.Onappeal,itwasheldthatthesentencewaswrongandwaschangedtoanabsolutedischarge.

1968Medicines Act Powerstogovernthecontrolofmedicinesforhumanandveterinaryuse.

1969PublicationoftheReportbytheAdvisoryCommitteeonDrugDependence–morewidelyknownastheWootonReport.

Themainrecommendationthatcausedamediaandpoliticalstormwasthatpossessionofasmallamountofcannabisshouldnotnormallyberegardedasaseriouscrimetobepunishedbyimprisonment.

Alsothatthereshouldbeanewsystemforpenaltiesbasedonevidenceofharm.ThisbecametheABCclassificationintheMisuseofDrugsAct.

1968ArrestofDrJohnPetroforfailingtokeepadrugsregister.Hewasoneofasmallgroupofso-called‘junkies’doctors’andwasstruckofflaterthatyear.

PolicerecommendationthatRegionalDrugSquadsbeformedordrugsquadofficersbeattachedtotheRegionalCrimeSquadspredatingsimilarrecommendationbyACPOin1985.

1967Releasefounded[GeorgeHarrisondonated£5,000toReleasein1969].

1967ArrestofKeithRichardsandMickJaggeronminordrugschargespromptedthefamousTimeseditorial,‘Whobreaksabutterflyonawheel’suggestingthearrestsweremoreaboutwhothedefendantswerethantheseverityofthecrime.

FullpageadvertisementappearedinThe TimespaidforbyPaulMcCartneyandsignedbyacademics,politicians,popstarsetccallingforcannabislawreform.

FirstUKseizureofnon-pharmaceutical‘Chinese’heroinbytheMetropolitanPolice.

1967Dangerous Drugs Act 1967 Powerforthepolicetosearchanddetainpersonssuspectedofhavingcommittedanoffenceunderdruglaws.

1966Drugs (Prevention of Misuse Act (Modification Order)PossessionofLSDbroughtundercontrol.

1965PublicationoftheinfluentialInterdepartmentalCommitteeonDrugAddiction(knownasthe2ndBrainCommitteereport).

Key Recommendations • Limitationsontherightsofdoctorsto

prescribeheroinorcocaine(onlydoctorsholdingaspeciallicencecouldprescribeeitherofthesedrugstoaddicts);

• Thesettingupofspecialistout-patientNHSclinics;

• CompulsorynotificationofaddictstoHomeOffice.

1960s

1965Pytch,becamethefirstpolicedoginBritaintodetectacontrolleddrug(cannabis)duringasearchofahouseinLondon’sEastEnd.

1968FirstNHSdrugclinicsopened.

InstitutefortheStudyofDrugDependence(ISDD)founded.

FirsttherapeuticcommunitiesopenedintheUK–AlphaHouseandtheCokeHoleTrust.

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1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1972TheSunday TimespublishedanexposeoftheMetropolitanPoliceDrugsSquadandtwodayslaterDetectiveChiefInspectorVicKelaherwaschargedwithconspiringtopervertthecourseofjusticealongwithDS‘Nobby’Pilcherandthreeotherdetectives.

1973Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA)• EstablishedtheAdvisory

CouncilontheMisuseofDrugs(ACMD);

• Introducedaclassificationsystemforcontrolleddrugs:A,BandC;

• Createdthenewoffenceofpossessionwithintenttosupplyacontrolleddrug;

• Increasedthepenaltiesfortraffickingoffences(e.g.production,supplyandimportationandexportation).

1973TheDrugsIntelligenceSectionoftheCentralResearchEstablishmentwasnotifiedoftwocasesinvolvingseizuresofMethylene-dioxy-amphetamine(MDA).

1974TheCentralResearchEstablishmentanalysed20‘ChineseHeroin’samplesseizedbyBritishCustomsandpoliceandfoundthatin14(70%)cases,theycontainedstrychnine.Insomecasesthelevelofstrychninewas‘surprisinglyhigh’.

Strychninehadlongbeenusedinthemanufactureofsocalled‘redpills’orheroin‘anti-opium’pillsinChinaandotherAsiancountries.

1973StandingConferenceonDrugAbusefounded.Setuptorepresentnon-NHStreatmentservices.

1970PublicationoftheReportbytheAdvisoryCommitteeonDrugDependence(ACDD)Powers of Arrest and Search in Relation to Drug Offences(alsoknownastheDeedesreport)–setupto‘reviewtheexistingpowersofarrestandsearchinrelationtodrugoffences’.

Main recommendations:• Theretentionofthestopandsearch

provisionsoftheDangerousDrugAct1967;• Thatitwasneitherpracticableordesirable

forthelawtodefine‘reasonablegrounds’;• Thatpoliceshouldacceptandenforcethe

principlethatparticularmodesofdressorhairstyleshouldneverbythemselvesortogetherconstitutereasonablegroundstostopandsearch.

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1970s

1970 Number of known notified users: 2661

1974 Chaoticuseofbarbiturates(andmethaqualone–mandrax)mainlyinLondon

DuringFebruaryandMarch,fiveregionallaboratoriesreportedseizuresofclear,palebluecapsulescontainingphencyclidine(PCP–alsoknownas‘AngelDust’)andsaccharine.Oneseizure(MetropolitanPoliceLaboratory)involved3,460suchcapsules.ButPCPneverhadasustainedpresenceontheUKdrugscene.

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1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

1977Operation JulieFollowinga14monthinvestigationbyateamofpoliceofficersfrom11policeforces,raidsby800policeofficersthroughouttheUKresultedinthearrestof119personsandthediscoveryoftwoclandestineLSDlaboratories.

1979FirstNarcoticsAnonymous(NA)meetingintheUK.

1979SmokableheroinfromtheMiddleEastmakinganimpactontheUKdrugsceneforthefirsttime.Thestartofwhatbecametheheroinepidemicthatonlybegantoabateinthepastfewyears.

1978Thelargesteverseizure,32kgsofheroin(20%purity)inBritain,wasmadebyHMCustomsandExciseinSeptember.Theheroinwasfoundconcealedincartyres.

1978ACMDCannabisWorkingGrouprecommendedthatcannabisbereclassifiedtoaClassCdrug.

1978CityRoadsinLondonopenedasthefirstcrisisinterventioncentresetuptodealwiththerevolvingdoorofbarbiturateusersgoinginandoutofA&E.

1975ACMDinitiatestheCampaignontheUseandRestrictionofBarbiturates(CURB).

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1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1980Beginningsofwhatbecamethewidespreaduseofsolvents(generallyknownas‘gluesniffing’)amongmainlyyoungerteenagers.

1981ForfeitureordersweremadeundertheMDAagainstthoseconvictedintheOperationJulietrial.

Onappeal,theHouseofLordsruledagainsttheforfeitureordersand‘withconsiderableregret’founditselfcompelledtoallowtheappealsonthegroundsthatsection27onlyappliedtothingsshown‘torelatetotheoffence’.

1983R v Aramagh (1983) 76 Cr. App. R. 190laiddownsentencingguidelinesbasedonthevalueofthedruginvolved.

1984BarbituratescontrolledundertheMisuse of Drugs Act.

1985Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985TheActmadeitanoffencetosupplyoroffertosupply,toapersonunder18yearsofage,asubstanceotherthanacontrolleddrug,ifheknowsorhasreasonablecausetobelievethatthesubstanceisoritsfumesare,likelytobeinhaledbytherecipientforthepurposeofintoxication.

Controlled Drug (Penalties) Act 1985 Increasedthepenaltiesforcertainoffencesrelatingtocontrolleddrugs:• Lifeimprisonmentforall

supply,importation,productionandexportationoffencesrelatingtoClassAdrugs;

• 14years’imprisonmentforthesameoffencesrelatingtoClassBdrugs.

1984MPofficersarrestedaBritishheroinandcocainetraffickerinLondon.Themandescribedhowhepreparedcocaineforsmokingusingboththe‘free-basing’and‘crack’productiontechniques.OneoftheearliestdocumentedexamplesoftheproductionanduseofcrackintheUK.

1982ACMDExpertGroupontheEffectsofCannabisreportwasinconclusiveonhealtheffectsandcalledformoreresearch.GovernmentusedthisreportaspartofitsreasonforrejectingpreviousACMDcannabisreportcallingforregrading.

1982Customs&Excisepilot‘compounding’schemesatHeathrowandGatwickairports.Personscaughtwith10gramsorlessofcannabisorcannabisresin,weregiventhechoiceofacceptinganautomaticpenaltyof£50inlieuofprosecution.

1983ChiefoftheNarcoticsSquad,Amsterdam,warneddelegatesattendingtheannualACPODrugsConferenceoftheharmsassociatedwith‘free-basing’cocaine.

LargestcannabisshipmenteverseizedbyBritishCustoms–11tons.

1983FollowingonfromtheACMDtreatmentreport,DepartmentofHealthestablishedtheCentralFundingInitiative(£17.5mto1989)toimprovetreatmentprovision.

1980PublicationoftheACMDReportonDrugDependantswithinthePrisonSysteminEnglandandWales.

Key recommendations included:• Furthertherapeuticunits

fordependencyonthelinesofthoseatHollowayorWormwoodScrubsshouldbeestablished.

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1982PublicationoftheTreatment and RehabilitationReportbytheAdvisoryCouncilontheMisuseofDrugs(ACMD).

TheReportmadeanumberofrecommendationscovering:• Centralandlocal

responsibilities;• Developmentofservices;• Prescribingsafeguards;

• Training;• Research;• Funding.

Specifically,itrecommendedthesettingupofDrugAdvisoryCommittees(DACs)comprisingrepresentativesfromhealthandlocalauthoritiesandotherstatutoryandnon-statutoryagencies.TheReportalsorecommendedfurtherrestrictionsontheprescribingofdipipanone(Diconal).

1984Publication of the Prevention Report by the ACMD.

The Report re-defined the ‘prevention’ in the following terms:(a) Reducing the risk of an individual becoming involved in drug misuse(b) Reducing the harms associated with drug misuse

The Report made a number of recommendations including: • Drug education should not concentrate

solely on factual information about drug misuse; a balanced approach is needed which focuses more on social and cultural factors;

• National campaigns aimed specifically at reducing the incidence of drug misuse should not be attempted;

• Media coverage of drugs matters needs to be better informed.

Publication of first clinical guidelines attempting to establish what is (and isn’t) good practice in the treatment of addiction.

1984 Number of known notified users: 5869

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1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1985FirstmentionofMDMAinaUKpublication–The Face,apopculture/stylemagazine.

1985PublicationofTackling Drug Misuse: A Summary of the Government’s Strategy

TheGovernment’sobjectivewasto‘attacktheproblembysimultaneousactiononfivemainfronts’:• Reducingsuppliesfromabroad;• Makingenforcementmoreeffective;• Maintainingeffectivedeterrentsandtight

domesticcontrols;• Developingprevention;• Improvingtreatmentandrehabilitation.

1985TheNationalDrugsIntelligenceUnit(NDIU)wassetup.

Firstprosecutionofshopkeepersellingsolvents.

1988United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988

1989Crack: the threat of hard drugs In the next decade(InterimReport). TheHomeAffairsCommitteepublisheditsreportonDrugTraffickingandRelatedSeriousCrime.

1989RobertStutmanspeechtoACPOwarningofthedangersofcrack(seepages21–22).

SouthwarkinsouthLondonstartedadrugreferralscheme.

October:theMetropolitanPoliceServiceForceCrackIntelligenceCoordinatingUnit(FCICU)wassetup.

1986On1JanuarythePolice and Criminal Evidence Act 1984becamelaw.TheActmadesweepingchangestopolicingpowersandpracticesincludingthoserelatingtostopandsearch,entry,searchandseizure,arrestanddetentionandthetreatmentandquestioningofdetainees.

UKratifiedthe1971UNConventiononPsychotropicSubstances.

Section9AoftheMDA1971cameintoforceprohibitingthesupplyofarticlesforuseintheunlawfuladministrationofcontrolleddrugs.Hypodermicsyringesandneedleswerespecificallyexcludedfromtheprovisions.Otherinjecting-relateditemshavebeenexcludedovertheyears,themostrecentbeingfoil.

1987Drug Trafficking Offences Act (DTOA)1986cameintoforce.

TheActintroducedsweepingandradicalchangesinthelawtoenablethecourtstotorecovertheproceedsofdrugtrafficking.

1987DHSSformallyendorsesNEX.

1989Mediacampaigndesignedtodiscourageneedle-sharing.

1986McLellandReportwasthefirstofficialdocumenttochampionharmreductionasaresponsetodrug-relatedHIVandrecommendedsettingupneedleexchangeschemes(NEX).ThefirstformalNEXwasopenedinPeterborough.

1988FirstACMDreportonAIDSanddrugsstatesthatstoppingthespreadofthediseasewasmoreimportantthangettingpeopleoffdrugs.Thisinauguratedaneventualchangeinclinicpracticeawayfromalmostuniversalshorttermmethadonedetoxtomorelongertermprescribing.

1985In1985,theDHSSaskedRegionalHealthAuthoritiestoestablishmulti-agencyDrugAdvisoryCommittees(DACs)ineveryHealthRegionandDistrict.ThisrequestfollowedtheadviceoftwoearlierACMDreportswhichhadenvisagedakeyroleforDACsinensuringthecoordinateddevelopmentofdrugservicessuitedtolocalneeds.

Thefirstgovernmentanti-drugscampaignlaunched–‘Heroinscrewsyouup’.Overallevaluationsuggestedthatitonlyimpactedonthosewhoneverintendedtouseinthefirstplace.

Firstcasesofdrug-relatedHIVreportedinScotland

1980s1986FirstrecordedMDMAdeath:ClaireLeightonfromLiverpool.

1988 Number of known notified users: 12,977

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1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

1991PublicationofDrugs and the Law: a report by JUSTICE.

ChairedbyJudgePeterCrawfordQC,theCommittee,theobjectivewastoconsiderallaspectsofthelawrelatingtodrugsthatmightrequirerevisionandimprovement.TheCommitteemadeanumberofrecommendationsincludingthefollowing:• Extendingsection8(d)ofthe

MDA1971(allowingcertaindrugactivitiesonpremises)tocoverallcontrolleddrugsnotjustcannabis,cannabisresinandpreparedopium;

• Definingtheword‘premises’insection8oftheMDA1971;

• Encouragingpoliceservicesinappropriatecases,tocautiondrugoffendersregardlessoftheclassofdruginvolved;

• Anewsection5AshouldbeaddedtotheMDA1971toallowadistinctiontobemadebetweencommercialandsocialsupply.

1992PublicationoftheReleaseWhitePaperonReformoftheDrugLawstomarkthe25thanniversaryofitsfounding.

AccordingtoRelease,theaimoftheWhitePaperwasto‘provideaconcretebasisfordebateandconsultation’onthereformulationofBritain’sdruglawsin‘wayswhichsafeguardandpromoteindividualandcommunitywelfare’.

1992ACMDreportonCJSPartII.

1991PublicationoftheACMD’sreport Drug Misusers and the Criminal Justice System Part I: Community Resources and the probation Service.

Thereportmademanyrecommendations,includingthefollowing:• Agenciesdealingwithdrug

misusingoffendersshouldadopttheprinciplesofharmreductionsoastoavoidsettingunrealisticgoals;

• Adequateresourcesshouldbemadeavailabletoensureaccesstodrugservicesforconvictedmisusers;

• ProbationServicesshouldestablishlinkswithasmanytreatmentagenciesaspossible,andtakestepstodispelandreluctanceontheirparttoworkwiththecriminaljusticesystem;

• Thoseconsideringthetrainingandinformationneedsofsentencersshouldgivehighprioritytodrugissues.

SecondeditionoftheClinicalGuidelinespublished.

Supportedharmreductioninterventionswhilere-assertingabstinenceastheultimategoalandadvisingGPsnottoundertakemethadonemaintenancewithoutspecialistadvice

1991UKratifiedtheUnited Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988

Criminal Justice Act 1991TheActmadesubstantialamendmentstothePowersofCriminalCourtsAct(PCCA)1973whichenabledthecourtstolinkprobationorderstotreatmentfordrugandalcoholdependency.

1990Firstinternationalharmreductionconference,Liverpool.

1990NHSandCommunityCareActmadelocalauthoritysocialservicesresponsibleforthefundingofdrugandalcoholresidentialrehabilitationservices.

1990ThetotalweightofheroinseizedbyCustomsduringthelastquarterof1990was320.6kg,bringingthetotalweightfor1990to540.8kg.Thiswasthelargestweighteverseizedinasingleyear,andrepresentsa60%increaseontherecordfigureof331.5kgfor1989.

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1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

1994Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (CJPOA) 1994AmendedthePrisonAct1952toenableprisonauthoritiestorequireprisonerstoproducesamplesofurinefordrugtesting.

Alsotriedtocontrolraveeventsbydefiningravesintermsof‘repetitivebeats’andforbiddinggatheringofmorethan100peopleoreventhreepeopleifthepolicehadreasontobelievethateventuallymorethan100wouldturnup.

1994PublicationofTackling Drugs Together A consultation document on a strategy for England 1995–1998.

The‘GreenPaper’setouttheGovernment’s‘newapproachtostrategicthinkingondrugsissues’.

TheproposedstrategywasdrivenbythefollowingStatementofPurpose:Totakeeffectiveactionbyvigorouslawenforcement,accessibletreatmentandanewemphasisoneducationandpreventionto:• Increasethesafetyofcommunities

fromdrug-relatedcrime;• Reducetheacceptabilityand

availabilityofdrugstoyoungpeople;• Reducethehealthrisksandother

damagerelatedtodrugmisuse.

1993AttheACPOAnnualDrugConference,DCSTonyWhite,NCIS,pointedouttheweaknessesinthelawwhichdiscouragedpoliceofficersfromtakingoncontrolleddeliveryoperationsinvolvingprecursorchemicals.Thelawwassubsequentlyamended.,

CommanderJohnGrieve,DirectorofIntelligence,MPS,madehis‘Thinktheunthinkable’speechtodelegatesatthesameevent‘Weareatthecrossroads.Eitherwegotowarondealersacrosstheglobe,orwehavetocomeupwithnewoptions.Weneedtothinktheunthinkable.’HesuggestedaliberallicensingsystemforallcontrolleddrugsbeintroducedbutwouldnotbedrawnastohowsuchasystemmightworkintheUK.

1990s