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The Misuse Of Drugs Act

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Laws are created by parliament which is made up by the MP’S society votes for during the election process. The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) was introduced to prevent the misuse of controlled drugs such as cannabis, amphetamine and other drugs stated in the Act. The Act attempts to prevent the misuse of drugs by making it a criminal offence to be in possession or supply, manufacture, import and export drugs (Drugscope, 2015). The Act also gives the Home secretary authority to ban new drugs and increase the penalties associated with them. Sometimes the government will set out a proposal for a new law in a document known as a green paper which then faces scrutiny and discussion this could be by experts in the area that the proposed Law intends to change/ affect or a select committee within parliament. The proposal can then be changed and made into a white paper. This then forms the Bill which gets introduced into Parliament (Making laws: How a law is made part 2 of 2, 2009). There are 2 different types of Bills a private and a public Bill. The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) was a public Bill as it affects the public. These also have 2 categories, government Bills and Private member bills. The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) was a government Bill. A bill goes through a consultation stage where the opinion of others is noted on what the proposed Law should say. This usually takes place before the Bill is introduced to Parliament. A Bill can either go through the House of Commons or Lords

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