103.Section 47 defines a Drug Abstinence Order as an order requiring the offender to abstain from misusing specified Class A drugs and to undertake a drug test on instruction.
104.It gives the power to the courts to make a drug abstinence order where the offender is convicted of a trigger offence (see note on Schedule 6), or the court feels that Class A drug misuse caused or contributed to the offence. The offender must be aged 18 years or over and be dependent on, or have a propensity to misuse, specified Class A drugs.
105.The Section allows for the court to decide the length of the order, between a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of three years.
106.In addition to setting out the provisions as to the supervision of orders, the Section also sets out provisions for dealing with failures to comply with the requirements of such orders, under Schedule 3 to the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.
Commentary on Sections Part III: Dealing with Offenders Chapter I: Renaming certain community orders, new community orders, breach of community order, miscellaneous. Section 47: Drug Abstinence Orders