Harmful drugs in the United Kingdom are categorized according to the UK legislation based on the Misuse of Drug Act of 1971. Drugs are placed into three categories: Class A, B or C, according to the homeoffice.gov.uk website, and are categorized according to how harmful they are, with Class A being the most harmful. The United States classifies harmful drugs according to five different schedules or classes: Classes I, II, III, IV and V, with class I drugs being the most harmful. According to a 2006 article in the British Medical Journal, one purpose of this classification system is assigning legal penalties to the harms associated with certain drugs.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines are synthetic stimulant Class B drugs in which only one type, Dexedrine, is available for medical use for the treatment of narcolepsy. The rest are illegal street drugs, taken as pills, smoked as crystals, swallowed or snorted as powder, according to DrugScope.org.uk. If amphetamine drugs are prepared as an injection, they become a Class A drug and the penalties in the UK are up to seven years in prison for possession, an unlimited fine, or both, and up to life imprisonment if intent to supply is established.
Barbiturates
Barbiturates are classified as a Class B drug in the UK. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, barbiturates suppress the central nervous system, leading to mild sedation and eventually coma if taken in larger amounts. Barbiturates are primarily used as sedatives, hypnotics, anticonvulsants and anesthetics.
Cannabis
The main chemical in cannabis or marijuana is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (TCH). Membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain with protein receptors bind to TCH, leading to the high that users experience while smoking marijuana, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Cannabis was upgraded to a Class B drug from the Class C drug classification in January 2009.
Codeine
Codeine is classified as a Class B drug in the UK. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, codeine is the most widely used, naturally occurring drug in the world, but codeine products are frequently diverted from legitimate sources to the illegal drug market. Most codeine products are made from morphine and codeine is the base for the production of hydrocodone and dihydrocodeine---two narcotic drugs.
Other Drugs
Other less common drugs that are classified as Class B drugs in the UK include: dexamphetamine, dihydrocodeine, methaqualone, methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin) and phenmetrazine (Filon), according to homeoffice.gov.uk.
Penalties
Penalties for possession of a Class B drug in the UK include being sentenced to up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine or both, according to homeoffice.gov.uk. Penalties for dealing can include up to 14 years imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or both.
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