Category: Poisons and hazardous substances

Learn about the legal requirements for selling, storing, and handling poisons, acids, and other hazardous substances.

Controlled drugs Medicines licensing Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines Pharmacist and technician responsibilities Poisons and hazardous substances Safe dispensing practices

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are substances designed to produce psychoactive effects similar to controlled drugs but may not initially fall under traditional drug control laws. Their regulation in the UK is primarily governed by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.

Under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016, a psychoactive substance is defined as a substance that:

“is capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person”

Controlled drugs Handling complaints and patient safety Pharmacist and technician responsibilities Poisons and hazardous substances

Medicines and Driving (Drug Driving Law)

Medicines can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. UK law creates two separate drug driving offences, both of which may apply to patients taking prescribed or over-the-counter medicines.

The law is primarily set out in the Road Traffic Act 1988:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/4

Pharmacist and technician responsibilities Poisons and hazardous substances Record-keeping requirements

Requests for poisons and chemicals

Amendments to the Poisons Act 1972 and subsequent regulations have changed how poisons and certain chemicals are classified and regulated in the United Kingdom.

Pharmacies that supply regulated poisons or certain chemicals must comply with legal requirements relating to licensing, record keeping, and reporting suspicious activity.

The main legislation governing the sale and supply of poisons is the Poisons Act 1972 and the Poisons Regulations 2015.