Selling chemicals online is not against the law in the United Kingdom, but it is well regulated there and in the European Union. Even though you may be legitimately needing chemicals for school or your business, there are certain drugs that are carefully regulated to help prevent the manufacture of illegal narcotics and designer drugs. Some of these chemicals are known as ‘precursors,’ which means that while they may have legitimate industrial purposes, they can also be used to illegally manufacture certain types of drugs.
Precursor Drug Categories
The government in the UK categorises precursor drugs based on how likely it is for them to be used to manufacture illicit drugs. There are 23 precursor chemicals that have been divided into three different categories. These categories are:
- Category 1 – This category includes the most sensitive or key substances used in the manufacture of narcotics or psychotropic drugs
- Category 2 – Chemicals covered in this category are less likely to be used than those listed in the first category and are considered pre-precursors
- Category 3 – Chemicals in this category have other uses in manufacturing, such as being used to make solvents or food for livestock
Medicinal products used for human consumption are excluded by this legislation, but it does apply to all natural chemicals and mixes containing at least one of the categorised substances that can be easily extracted.
Licences to Sell Precursor Chemicals
Chemicals that can be used to create narcotics or psychotropic drugs can be sold by companies that have been licenced to do so in both the UK and EU. The legislation that requires licencing strives to prevent illicit drug manufacturing, but keep the research chemical market competitive for companies who use these chemicals for legitimate purposes.
Companies that wish to sell these chemicals need to apply with the government to do so, but there is documentation they must acquire before making an application. These documents include:
- A copy of the company’s Companies House registration, if one is necessary
- Proof of DBS checks, which include the date and reference numbers for Capita
- A certificate showing the responsible party is a person of good conduct
- Purchase Order numbers, if applicable
- Proof they know about precursors and the schedules that are requested
Along with the application, the company must pay a licencing application fee. There is also a fee that needs to be paid if the company is applying to renew its licence to sell precursor drugs in the UK.
This legislation also requires that companies that sell Category 1 precursors must declare the intended use of the chemicals. However, in Category 2, a declaration is dependent on how much is being sold. There isn’t any legislation regarding intent for Category 3 chemicals.
Companies can also apply to import or export precursor drugs in the EU as well. If you need to buy research chemicals in the UK and see that a company is licenced to do so, then you know they have been through this process and can legally sell precursor chemicals.