Campaigners have welcomed as a "victory" steps in the Drugs Bill to scrap measures that put care staff working with drug abusers at risk of prosecution.

If passed, the bill would repeal a 2001 amendment to section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This paved the way for the prosecution of agencies or individuals who permitted the taking of illegal drugs on their premises.

The 1971 act obliged agencies to prevent only the supply of controlled drugs and use of cannabis.

Although the amendment extending the powers of prosecution went through parliament under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, it was never implemented due to resistance from care organisations. They complained that it would force centres that cared for recovering drug abusers to close down.

However, the clause remains on the statute book as a potential threat to workers. Repealing it would remove this threat permanently.
Brian Iddon, chair of the all-party parliamentary drugs misuse group, told the second reading of the bill in the House of Commons last week: "If this bill is enacted, it will repeal what I regard as that vicious measure, which will give confidence back to the people who help the most vulnerable members of society to try to give up drugs."

Drugs think-tank Transform welcomed the move claiming it finally removed any possible threat section 8 would pose for organisations working with problematic drug users.

Although it was under the original section 8 that homelessness charity workers Ruth Wyner and John Brock were jailed in 1999 for knowingly allowing drug dealers to supply heroin at the centre where they worked, this is no longer considered a threat to care workers.

During the second reading, the bill came under fire from all political parties.

Paul Flynn, MP for Newport West, called the bill a piece of "knee-jerk" legislation, and accused the government of "pandering to the lowest common denominator of public opinion".

He urged the House of Lords to "have the good sense to sabotage, wreck and obstruct the bill in any way possible".

The bill will now enter its committee stage.