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8. In July, 1954, the United Nations Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution, drafted by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, urging all Governrnents to prohibit the manufacture and import and export of heroin except for such small amounts as might be necessary for scientific
purposes.
9. In December, 1954, the Minister of Health sought the views of the S.M.A.C. on the resolution which the Government proposed to accept. That Committee concurred in the Government's proposals and the Central Health Services Council informed the Minister that they did not wish to comment on the Committee's advice. The Government's decision was announced in answer to a Question by Sir Hugh Linstead on 18th February, 1955.
10. From 1950 until 1955 no representations were received from the B.M,A. though articles had appeared in 1949 and 1953 in the British Medical Journal, the official organ of the Association, supporting the case for the prohibition of manufacture. In May, 1955, the Association brought to the notice of the Minister of Health the terms of a resolution adopted last autumn to the effect that the medical profession should not in any way be deprived of the use of heroin or any other drug which may assist in the treatment of patients.
11. We received, with the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, a deputation from the B.M.A. on 11th July last, and undertook to consider the representations which they then made. This was done and, as the Health Ministers adhered to the advice that had originally been tendered after consultation with the expert bodies which advised them on such matters, the Home Secretary on 17th October informed the B.M.A, that the decision not to permit the general manu- facture of heroin after the end of this year must be maintained.
12. There is a strong emotional overlay to the arguments now being put forward by some sections of the medical profession, but for unbiassed advice on the technical merits of the question it would be more difficult to find a more highly qualified body than the Standing Medical Advisory Committee to the Minister of Health. It includes the Presidents of the three Royal Colleges and of the General Medical Council, the Chairman of the Council of the B.M.A, with five consultant surgeons, four consultant physicians and five general practitioners: details of the constitution of the Committee are given in the Appendix.
13. The international control of dangerous drugs is one of the oldest established forms of international co-operation, and is one in which successive British Governments have always co-operated to the full. The reason for the ban is the extent of the illicit traffic in heroin. It is a particularly serious problem in the United States and Canada, where, within the last two months, three large seizures amounting to some eighty pounds in all, were made.
14.
If international control is to work, the countries party to the system must accept it and carry it out faithfully, even though in this country we are reluctant to interfere with the doctor's freedom of prescription. But the Minister of Health is advised that there are good reasons for thinking that heroin is no longer indispensable in medicine and that there are adequate alternatives available.
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