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Written question asked by Diane Abbott (Labour) on Friday, 8 June 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 June 2012. It was answered by James Brokenshire (Conservative) on Tuesday, 19 June 2012 on behalf of the Home Office.

Drugs: Misuse

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) arrests and (b) reports of incidents of disorder where use of (i) the drug known as bath salts and (ii) substances containing methylenedioxypyrovalerone were made in each of the last three years; how many people have died as a result of use of substances containing methylenedioxypyrovalerone in each of the last three years; and whether she plans to increase (A) awareness of the effects and (B) penalties for the importation, trade or possession of such substances.

[111133]

Answer

Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) has been a controlled Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 since 16 April 2010. Trafficking offences (production, supply, import and export) for MDPV attract severe criminal penalties of up to 14 years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine, and up to five years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine for simple possession. There are no plans to review the classification of MDPV at present.

In terms of statistics, the Government do not collect data at the drug-type level on arrests and incidents of disorder. Similarly, the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System does not collect data on MDPV.

However, the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths, which collected data from coroners, reported in 2010 (the programme's last report) that two cases had been notified where MDPV was found in post-mortem toxicology.

Targeted information and advice on all drugs, including cathinone derivatives like MDPV, is provided via the FRANK drug advisory and information service which the Government re-launched in October 2011.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
111133; 546 c867W
Session
2012-13
Subjects
Arrests Drugs Misuse
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk