Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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649. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in updating the Misuse of Drugs Regulations to deal with the street trading of benzodiazepines and z-drugs and the escalating problem of the use of anabolic steroids; and when he expects these regulations to come into effect. [24057/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Significant work has been undertaken on the drafting of four Statutory Instruments under the Misuse of Drugs Act with a view to, amongst other issues, introducing additional controls on certain prescription drugs being traded illicitly, including benzodiazepine medicines and z-drugs, and making it an offence to import anabolic steroids other than for medical purposes.

It is planned to finalise the draft Instruments shortly and publish these on the Department’s website as part of a written consultation process. This will be followed by a 3 month EU notification period required under the Technical Standards Directive because of the implications of the proposed regulatory changes on trade in pharmaceutical products. Government approval will then be sought to amend the legislation.