Members and committees

There are currently 23 members of the Advisory Council.

Much of the Advisory Council's work is taken forward by its committees and working groups.

Technical Committee 

Chair: Professor Les Iversen

This is a standing body of the Advisory Council whose primary purpose is to consider and make recommendations to the Advisory Council about classification nd scheduling under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and its regulations of any substances which is being or appears to be misused and of which the misuse is having or appears to them capable of having harmful effects sufficient to cause a social problem.

The Techincal Committee will often establish working groups to carry out in-depth reviews of specific drugs, including their classification. 

Membership

There is a statutory requirement that membership includes representatives of the practices of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry, and chemistry other than pharmaceutical chemistry; and people who have a wide and recent experience of social problems connected with the misuse of drugs.

Appointments, usually for a term of three years, are ordinarily made by the Home Secretary, in accordance with guidance issued by the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). Pursuant to this guidance, members can serve a maximum period of 10 years, although no member can be re-appointed unless they have received a satisfactory performance appraisal. 

Members current term is due to expire on 31 December 2010.

Find out more about members in the list of members.