Drug Precursor Chemicals - Keele University
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Department of Occupational Health and Safety

 

Department of Occupational Health and Safety

Drug Precursor Chemical Licensing

Category 1 drug precursor chemicals are subject to a strict licensing regime administered by the Home Office and it is unlawful to possess them without a licence.  Until now, University policy on the acquisition and use of these chemicals has been covered by one site-wide licence.  However the rules have now changed such that any building used to store or use these chemicals must have its own licence.  This means for example that if a School stores Category 1 precursors in one building and uses them in another, two licences would be required.   

A review of the 2011 annual returns from Schools has established that only Lennard Jones Laboratories requires a Drug Precursor Category 1 licence, and the University is in the process of applying for this (April 2012).  Because this application is being treated by the Home Office as a renewal the cost is currently £326 p.a.  In future any School which wishes to purchase Category 1 drug precursors will have to apply for a licence first for the building(s) in which the chemicals will be stored/used.  This process can, according to the Home Office, take up to 12 weeks.  Any School requiring a licence should contact DOHS in the first instance, so that the application can be made centrally, negating the need for individuals within the School to obtain CRB clearance.  The current fee structure can be found below.

Please note that in some cases Category 2 and 3 drug precursor chemicals have to be registered with the Home Office but currently Keele’s use does not fulfil the conditions requiring registration. However annual returns continue to be compulsory.

Home Office link:

 http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs/licensing/precursors-chemical-licensing/

Precursor chemical licences - fees

  • First time category 1 licence = £3,655
  • First time category 2 registration = £435
  • First time category 3 registration = £435

Replacement of an existing:

  • category 1 licence, where no compliance visit is required = £326
  • category 1 licence, where a compliance visit is necessary = £1,371
  • category 2 or category 3 registration, where no compliance visit is required = £109
  • category 2 or category 3 registration, where a compliance visit is necessary = £1,153

Individual authorisation:

  • export = £24
  • import = £24