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(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 and shall come into operation on 15th January 2025.
(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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(1) The Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 are amended as follows.
(2) In paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 1 (Controlled Drugs subject to the requirements of Regulations 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26 and 27), insert in the appropriate places the following—“AP-237 (1-[4-([2E]-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl)-1-piperazinyl]-1-butanone) (bucinnazine);AP-238 (1-[2,6-dimethyl-4-[2E]-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl]-1-piperazinyl-1-propanone);Azaprocin (1-[3-[(E)-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl]-3,8-diazabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl]propan-1-one);Bentazepam (5-phenyl-1,3,6,7,8,9-hexahydro-2H-[1]benzothieno[2,3-e][1,4]diazepin-2-one);Bretazenil (tert-butyl-8-bromo-11,12,13,13a-tetrahydro-9-oxo-9H-imidazo[1,5-a]-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine-1-carboxylate);Clobromazolam (8-bromo-6-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine);Cloniprazepam (5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-(cyclopropylmethyl)-7-nitro-1,3-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one);Desalkylgidazepam (7-bromo-5-phenyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one);Deschloroclotizolam (2-chloro-9-methyl-4-phenyl-6H-thieno[3,2-f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]diazepine);Difludiazepam (7-chloro-5-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-1-methyl-3H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one);Flubrotizolam (2-bromo-4-(2-fluorophenyl)-9-methyl-6H-thieno[3,2f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3a][1,4]diazepine);Fluclotizolam (2-chloro-4-(2-fluorophenyl)-9-methyl-6H-thieno[3,2-f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]diazepine);Fluetizolam (2-ethyl-4-(2-fluorophenyl)-9-methyl-6H-thieno[3,2-f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]diazepine);Gidazepam (7-bromo-2,3-dihydro-2-oxo-5-phenyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-1-acetic acid hydrazide);Methylclonazepam (5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-7-nitro-3H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one);para-methyl-AP-237 (1-[4-[2E]-3-(4-methylphenyl)-2-propen-1-yl]-1-piperazinyl-1-butanone);para-nitroazaprocin (1-[3-[(E)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-propen-1-yl]-3,8-diazobicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-yl)propan-1-one);Rilmazafone (5-([(2-aminoacetyl)amino]methyl)-1-[4-chloro-2-(2-chlorobenzoyl)phenyl]-N,N-dimethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide);Thionordazepam (7-chloro-5-phenyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-thione);4’-Chloro-deschloroalprazolam (6-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]benzodiazepine);2-Methyl-AP-237 (1-[2-methyl-4-[2E]-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl]-1-piperazinyl-1-butanone);”.
(3) In the entry for Methoxyphenidine in paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 1, at the end insert “(1-[1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-phenylethyl]piperidine) (methoxphenidine)”.
(4) In Schedule 1, after paragraph 1(r) insert—“
(s) any compound (not being a compound for the time being specified in sub-paragraph (a) above) with a maximum molecular mass of 500 atomic mass units and structurally derived from 2-(2-benzyl-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethanamine by modification in any of the following ways, that is to say—
(i) by substitution at the nitrogen of the ethanamine to any extent by alkyl substituents containing up to three carbon atoms or alkenyl substituents containing up to three carbon atoms or by inclusion of the nitrogen atom (and no other atoms of the side chain) in a cyclic structure;
(ii) by substitution in the phenyl ring of the benzyl system to any extent by alkyl or haloalkyl containing up to six carbon atoms, alkoxy or haloalkoxy containing up to five carbon atoms, acetyloxy, hydroxy, cyano, halogen, thioalkyl containing up to five carbon atoms or alkylsulphonyl containing up to five carbon atoms;
(iii) by substitution at the 5- or 6- positions of the benzimidazole system by nitro, acetyl, cyano, methoxy, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy or halogen substituents;
(iv) by substitution at the benzylic carbon by a methyl group;
(v) by replacement of the benzylic carbon by a nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur atom;
(vi) by substitution in the phenyl ring of the benzyl system by an ethoxy group linked back to the phenyl ring to form a dihydrobenzofuran structure;
(vii) by replacement of the phenyl ring of the benzyl system by methylenedioxyphenyl.”.
(5) In paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 4 (Controlled Drugs subject to the requirements of Regulations 22, 23, 26 and 27) after “Triazolam” insert—“Xylazine”.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health on 19th December 2024.
(L.S.)Michael O’Neill
A senior officer of the Department of Health
