 DRUGS BILL RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT
Reference: 070/2005 - Date: 7 Apr 2005 21:00
The Drugs Bill received Royal Assent today. The Drugs Act 2005 brings in powers to:
- give the police powers to test for class A drugs on arrest and require those who test positive to attend a drugs assessment and follow-up appointment;
- make dealing near a school, or using children as couriers for drugs or drugs-related money, an aggravating factor in sentencing;
- introduce a new presumption that those caught with more drugs than reasonable for personal use intend to supply, which carries tougher penalties;
- give the police tougher powers to tackle dealers who swallow their drugs or hide them in body cavities - the police will be able to order an x-ray or ultrasound, and magistrates will be able to remand suspected swallowers in custody for up to eight days;
- tackle the open selling of 'magic mushrooms' by clarifying the law that fresh mushrooms, as well as prepared ones, are illegal; and
- establish a new drug intervention order to run alongside anti-social behaviour orders to address drug misuse by people committing anti-social acts.
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