Summary
Public Consultation on the The control of Gamma-Butyrolactone
Documents
Consultation description
“Today the Home Office and the Northern Ireland Department of Health, issued a joint consultation which seeks views on a proposal to tighten controls on the substances Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD). GBL and 1,4-BD are controlled drugs that are closely related to Gamma-hydroxybutyric Acid (‘GHB’). Together, these drugs are referred to as ‘GHB and related substances’ (‘GHBRS’). GBL and 1,4-BD have many uses in industry, however, GHBRS have been misused to facilitate criminal activities.
The proposal is to abolish the current broad exemption from drugs licensing for industrial users of these substances and replace it with an exemption for mixtures containing them. This will mean that those who handle high purity GBL and 1,4-BD will need a licence, but many legitimate products that contain them will be exempt from licensing controls, as long as they are not intended for ingestion.
The consultation will last 12 weeks and will close at 11.59pm on 11 November 2026. It is open to the public but targeted towards industrial users of these two substances.
The consultation documents, which include how to respond can be accessed at Control of Gamma-Butyrolactone and 1,4-Butanediol - GOV.UK