how much valium is allowed in uk?

[tosser]

i know that valium is considered class c in uk, therefore punishable if it is with intent to supply. does anyone know how many you are allowed to have at home without it being considered ilegal? is it legal to travel (from india to uk) with valium? how many?

thankyou

[Alicia]

with out a prescription it would be handled under the medicines act which can still charge swiy if one did not show a valid prescription for the valium, diazepam.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Indeed, although without any previous convictions possesion of a small amount rarely results in prosecution.

[Pondlife]

There is no offense for possession of Valium under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act. It is only Class C for the purposes of supply. To quote from drugscope: Minor Tranquillisers (librium, valium etc) are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act as Class C drugs but the possession offence is waived so that it is not illegal to possess or use them without a prescription.

So to avoid a conviction under the Misuse of Drugs Act, a person would need to ensure that the quantities involved were small enough to avoid an "intent to supply" charge.

As Alicia mentioned, it is also controlled under the Medicines Act, but I don't think this is ever used to prosecute members of the public; it's used to prosecute suppliers. Another quote from drugscope: The enforcement of the Medicines Act rarely affects the general public

A person in possession of a significant quantity, but not so much that it could not be personal use, would also need to avoid self-incrimination. For example, the police might try to get the person to admit intent to supply by saying things like "of course, we know that you weren't selling it; you just gave some to your friends didn't you" (an affirmative answer would be admitting intent to supply).

Edit: Based on a couple of reports later in this thread, it appears that it IS possible to get convicted for possession of valium, so please don't rely on the above.

Edit2: It turns out that the exemption was removed in the Misuse of Drugs regulations 2001, which is quoted later in this thread. Thanks to Solinari for pointing this out.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good post!

[rocksmokinmachine]

I'm not sure if this law still applies. I know it was the case a few years ago (except in the case of temazepam for some strange reason) can anyone clear this up?

[radiometer]

Originally Posted by pondlife

To quote from drugscope: [I]Minor Tranquillisers (librium, valium etc) are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act as Class C drugs but the possession offence is waived so that it is not illegal to possess or use them without a prescription.

That free pass is a pretty nasty insult to those who've been arrested for possession of small amounts of obscure, relatively safe psychedelics, ala Operation Ismene.

Reputation Comments on this post:

if only more of us could make the background check to pass the bar

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by radiometer

That free pass is a pretty nasty insult to those who've been arrested for possession of small amounts of obscure, relatively safe psychedelics, ala Operation Ismene.

Indeed, I think as long as the pharmaceutical companies show some clinical research 'proving' the drug is safe then the government will schedule it as low as they possbily can. Whereas harmless RC's with only recreational value are classed along with heroin and crack cocaine.

[searchfunction]

Originally Posted by pondlife

There is no offense for possession of Valium under the UK Misuse of Drugs Act. It is only Class C for the purposes of supply. To quote from drugscope: [I]Minor Tranquillisers (librium, valium etc) are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act as Class C drugs but the possession offence is waived so that it is not illegal to possess or use them without a prescription.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

SWIM has been convicted and fined (quite steeply) for possession of Valium. SWIM was not charged with supply, just possession. SWIM will point out here that there were a number of aggravating factors for their heavy punishment and the magistrates could have been far heavier handed, but declines to say what. SWIM mentions this only because they don't always ignore it.

[Jatelka]

^^^Temazepam's peculiar status under UK law (I think, Class C) is because of "jellies" (eggs) a now withdrawn formulation, consisting of a capsule with a gel inside, that could be melted down and iv'ed.

[Pondlife]

I remember jellies. The manufacturers deliberately made the contents of the capsule a thick gel to prevent abuse by injection. However they were still abused by melting the gel prior to injection, which often resulted in the gel re-solidifying in the user's circulation, sometimes causing gangrene and resulting in amputation.

At the time it was seen as mainly a Scottish problem. The people who abused jellies were at the bottom of the drug user's pecking order - even a smack head (heroin user) would look down on a jelly user.

Thank goodness we don't see jellies any more. Good riddance I say.

[Twiglet]

Yeah swims friend used to I.V jellies, he used to say (when he was alive),"you can i.v it you just have to keep it really warm and keep it moving" with a big smile on his face.

[YeOldeLobster]

SWIM lost his wallet with his prescription diazepam 10 x 5mg tablets as well as a some Seroquel Quetiapine, was handed into the police station SWIM was expecting a bit of hassle, but SWIM wasn't asked once about it at all.

[OpiateWarrior]

Yeah! I second that, plenty of people I know have been fined or prosecuted for possession of mazies including Diaze, Tamaz and Loraz so be-careful my imaginary friends.

[wearestardust]

About five years ago, Class 'C' Schedule IV was split into two, parts 1 & 2,part 1 being benzos and part 2 being anabolic steroids. Previously it was perfectly legal to possess or even import these meds in quantities which were deemed to be for personal use. However, part 1 Sch IV drugs now have been changed so that it IS an offence to possess them without a valid prescription. Anabolics can still be possessed for personal use with impunity. I know of one person who was actually charged and convicted of possession of TWO 10mg diazepam tablets.
Jatelka, the strange situation you refer to concerns TWO benzos; temazepam and flunitrazepam. Whilst they remain in Class 'C', they are both now Schedule III substances rather than Sch.IV part 1. Therefore all prescriptions for these drugs must be doubly signed. Different laws also apply to the storage of these two benzos.
WAS

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for the info on flunitrazepam

[rocksmokinmachine]

Might I add, the strange legal status a temazepam is because of the 30mg "jelly" tablets and thier high potential for abuse.

Flunitrazepam, is scheduled so because of sensationalised media stories on this "date rape" drug.

[keeyn]

if swiy want to take diazepam or alprazolam from india, back to the UK.. and swiy gets caught with it swiy is going to be in trouble. its illegal fullstop without a prescription

swim sent back about 800 0.5 alprazolam tabs from india in the standard post and it got here within 2 weeks!

swim bought 2 himalaya herbal tablet bottles emptied the herbal ones and filled them with alprazolam

at delhi pharaganj post office he sent the parcel. BEWARE they are suspicious of foreigners sending parcels and will ask you if swiy whats in it and if you want to send it recorded. if you decline they are even more suspicious and asked swim for his passport to write his passport number on it

swim shit himselfe and told them he left passport in hotel and would go get it and bring it back when it was really in swims moneybelt
swim bought 50 alprazolam from about 20 different chemists around india where they are technically not allowed without prescription in a 2 month period and occasionally would spend half a day going round chemists for this purpose. swim did not want to lose them at the last hurdle so went back and gave them his passport number, which the post officer at pharaganj post office wrote his passport number on it and "stones" which was what swim claimed was in package

swim flew home next day and 2 weeks later said package arrived

[Solinari]

If someone was caught with them then i think at the very least they will be seized, but 800 is a lot of tablets so intent to supply is a possibility.

It would seem that temazepam got Class B status because of "jellies" and even although jellies are very rare, temazepam is still Class B. Flunitrazepam (rohypnol) is also Class B, probably because of the date rape thing.

My friend has been caught with seven blue valium after he left a house that was just about to get busted, he said to the police, it is not illegal to possess them and the copper said, aye it is, Misuse of Drugs Act 2001 Amendment and he was charged. Despite being charged and being sent a fixed penalty notice, he ignored it, probably shouldn't have but did never the less, and he never heard anything else about it.

Basically you can get the jail (i don't mean actual jail time, i just mean arrested) if caught in possession of valium, if some one has a lot of tablets that seem unreasonable for personal use and there is suspicion that you were selling them, then you would probably be charged with intent.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Thanks for quoting the act. That explains everything.
	Interesting! Thank you for that

[Pondlife]

Originally Posted by Solinari

Misuse of Drugs Act 2001 Amendment

That explains it. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 does indeed withdraw the exemption for benzos. Here is the text from the explanatory note in the act, with the important part shown in bold:

Two changes of substance are made by the Regulations. One is the addition of thirty-five phenethylamine derivatives which are made subject to control under the Act of 1971 by virtue of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3932) to Schedule 1 and one such derivative to Schedule 2. The other change is that the 33 benzodiazepines and 8 other substances formerly in Schedule 4 Part II are now in Part I of that Schedule. They are no longer exempt from the prohibition on importation and exportation or from the prohibition on possession when in the form of a medicinal product. The 54 anabolic substances formerly in Schedule 4 Part I are now in Part II of that Schedule. There are no changes to the controls which currently apply to these substances.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thank you for the clarification

[wearestardust]

Solinari,
You are mistaken. In the UK, temazepam and flunitrazepam are NOT Class 'B' drugs, but Class 'C'. The same as any other benzodiazepine. The difference is not the Class, but the Schedule; they were upgraded from Schedule IV to Sch. III; however, they both remain Class 'C', NOT 'B'.
Also, the ''jelly' or 'egg' type of temazepam capsule is not particularly rare; Wyeth's NORMISON brand is available throughout Europe, being particularly popular in the Netherlands, along with 30mg SERAX brand oxazepam, which has also been withdrawn in the UK. You can only get up to 15mg non-proprietary generic tablets of oxazepam here now.
WAS

[Solinari]

Maybe they are still Class C, it was Wikipedia that said they were Class B. I think the Normison brand is now powder filled capsules, i don't think they still make jellies but i can't say for sure.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Originally Posted by Solinari

Maybe they are still Class C, it was Wikipedia that said they were Class B. I think the Normison brand is now powder filled capsules, i don't think they still make jellies but i can't say for sure.

WASD is correct. All benzodiazepines are class C, flunitrazepam and temazepam are scheduled higher (not sure which section) because temazepam has a higher potential for abuse (people were melting the 30mg jelly caps and injecting them), and flunitrazepam has been sensationalised by the media as a "date rape drug".

[wearestardust]

Originally Posted by Solinari

Maybe they are still Class C, it was Wikipedia that said they were Class B. I think the Normison brand is now powder filled capsules, i don't think they still make jellies but i can't say for sure.

Wikipedia is wrong; I will have to edit that bit - both flunitrazepam and temazepam are class 'C' drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, but have been rescheduled from Sch IV to Sch III, the only benzos which are not now in Schedule IV, part 1.
Also, NORMISON is filled with a soft gel, not powder.
WAS

[Solinari]

Is flunitrazepam prescribed in the UK at all?

Temazepam certainly is, i have had it on prescription a few times even although i would much prefer nitrazepam i can't get anything else. I know doctors HATE prescribing any benzo in the UK but i have heard they particularly HATE prescribing temazepam, but it's all i have got. I am sure it's because of its short(er) half life and quick excretion which would probably make it easier to withdraw from.

[Jatelka]

^^^ Certainly not on the NHS Solinari.

As for nitrazepam, I'd wait 'til your marmoset is female and over the age of 65, and move to the SW. It seems to be particularly popular among the GP's here!

[Solinari]

Originally Posted by Jatelka

^^^ Certainly not on the NHS Solinari.

As for nitrazepam, I'd wait 'til your marmoset is female and over the age of 65, and move to the SW. It seems to be particularly popular among the GP's here!

Haha, something to look forward to then, some moggies after a sex change, turn 65 and a move down south (west).

I would be surprised to find flunitrazepam in any chemist in the UK, i just can't see them carrying such a thing even for private patients, same goes for alprazolam actually, no one knows what it is here.