Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, ss 2, 3A, Schedules 1–3
Illegal drugs are classified in the following way:
Class A – These are the “hard” drugs, for example: heroin, LSD (lysergide, or “acid”), cocaine, methamphetamine (“P”), mescaline, phencyclidine (“PCP,” “angel dust”), and MDA (similar to ecstasy). These are the drugs classified as “Very high risk of harm”.
Class B – These include amphetamines (speed), MDMA (ecstasy), cannabis resin (hash), cannabis oil (hash oil), morphine, opium, pseudoephedrine and ephedrine (which can both be used to make P), methadone, GHB (fantasy), and oxycodone (“oxycotton”). These are the drugs classified as “High risk of harm”.
Class C – These include cannabis (marijuana, including the plant, whether fresh or dried, and its seeds), barbiturates (“downers”) like secobarbital (brand name “Seconal”) and pentobarbital (“Nembutal”), codeine, coca leaf, and BZP (the psychoactive ingredient in most “party pills”). These are the drugs classified as “Moderate risk of harm”.
The drug legislation (the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975) calls illegal drugs “controlled drugs”.