Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate the Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit has submitted to the International Narcotics Control Board of the quantity of illicit controlled drugs to be consumed for medical and scientific purposes in each of the last three years.

The Home Office Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU) enables, through delivery of its licensing functions the lawful use of controlled drugs in the United Kingdom, including internationally controlled narcotic substances. DFLU’s regulatory function does not cover illicit drug use.

UK ‘anticipated needs’ (estimates) of individual drug substances are given in base drug quantities- or the amount of ‘active ingredient’ contained in a raw material, substance or product. Estimated needs of specific medicinal products are not provided to the INCB. Initial estimates are submitted to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) by 30 June each year, for the next calendar year; these are subject to regular review and a process exists for ‘in year’ variations to be requested if there is a demonstrable need for this to be increased. Similarly, adjustments can be made by the INCB in the course of processing Annual Returns information.

Estimates are primarily based on previous years actual ‘use’, which will include domestic production and imports, factoring in UK patient needs and global requirements where a product is to be exported. This information is provided to DFLU by their licensees as part of the ‘Annual Returns’ process. Regular discussions between the Home Office DFLU and officials in the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) occur whereby any shortfalls in our estimates can be raised as needed. This recognises that patient-ready medication is only a component of the estimates submitted.

Estimates, confirmed by the INCB for the calendar year 2023 (for all internationally controlled narcotic drugs) are available at Microsoft Word - EstAug (incb.org). Copies of the previously published INCB issued ‘confirmed estimates’ from January 2022, December 2022 and January 2023 have been placed in the House library.

DFLU did not have to request uplifts for the substance cannabis in either 2022 or 2023 (year to date) as the confirmed estimates adequately met UK needs.

In 2022 a total of 7,762 Kg of cannabis (in base drug form) was imported. Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal use in Humans (CBPMs), in the form of flos (flower) are included in this.

In 2023 a total of 23,890 Kg cannabis (in base drug form) has been confirmed as imported, as of 19 September 2023. Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal use in Humans (CBPMs), in the form of flos (flower) are included in this.