The Misuse of Drugs (Designation) (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2018
Section 7(3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (c.38) (the 1971 Act) requires regulations to be made to allow the use for certain purposes, including medical use, of the drugs which are subject to control under that Act. Section 7(4)(b) of the 1971 Act provides, however, that designated controlled drugs will be exempt from this easement and so cannot lawfully be prescribed, administered, produced, compounded or supplied except under licence or other authority issued by the Department of Health. The designations in question are in the Misuse of Drugs (Designation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001 (the 2001 Order) and include cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives not being dronabinol or its stereoisomers. Article 2 varies the 2001 Order to exclude cannabis based products for medicinal use in humans, and some related products, from the relevant designations.