The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The 1971 Act provides the legislative framework for the regulation of dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs in the UK. The 1971 Act applies to "controlled drugs" - there are two categories of controlled drugs. First, substances or products specified in Schedule 2 to the Act. That Schedule divides controlled drugs into one of three Classes – A, B and C – broadly based on their relative harms, with Class A drugs considered the most harmful. Examples of each class of drug are: Class A - cocaine, methadone and opium; Class B - amphetamine, cannabis and ketamine; Class C - khat and temazepam. The second category of controlled drugs is any substance or product specified in a temporary class drug order as a drug subject to temporary control (see below).
	The 1971 Act provides for a range of offences in relation to controlled drugs, including:
importation and exportation (section 3);
production, supply or offering to supply (section 4); and
possession and possession with intent to supply (section 5).
	Section 7 of the 1971 Act enables regulations to be made exempting specified activities from the scope of the above offences, for example where controlled drugs are produced and supplied for medicinal purposes.
	The maximum penalties for the offences under sections 3 to 5 of the 1971 Act vary according to the class of the controlled drugs, with higher maxima applying for the more or most harmful drugs. The maximum penalties are set out below.
	Offence
Maximum penalty on conviction on indictment: Class A drug involved
Maximum penalty on conviction on indictment: Class B drug involved
Maximum penalty on conviction on indictment: Class C drug involved
Production
Life imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment
Supply or offering to supply
Life imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment
Possession
7 years' imprisonment
5 years' imprisonment
2 years' imprisonment
Possession with intent to supply
Life imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment
14 years' imprisonment