{"id":"sr:drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations","name":"Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017","slug":"drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":184132,"registerId":"vic-sr:drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017","content":"Version No. 001\n\n**Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017**\n\n**S.R. No. 76/2017**\n\nVersion as at  \n21 July 2017\n\n**TABLE OF PROVISIONS**\n\n*Regulation Page*\n\n1 Objective 1\n\n2 Authorising provision 1\n\n3 Commencement 1\n\n4 Revocation 1\n\n5 Definition 1\n\n6 Prescribed precursor chemicals 2\n\n7 Prescribed quantities of prescribed precursor chemicals 2\n\nSchedule 1—Precursor chemicals and quantities 3\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes 8\n\n1 General information 8\n\n2 Table of Amendments 10\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation 11\n\n4 Explanatory details 12\n\n**Version No.** **001**\n\n**Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017**\n\n**S.R. No. 76/2017**\n\nVersion as at  \n21 July 2017\n\n\t1 Objective\n\nThe objective of these Regulations is to prescribe precursor chemicals and the quantities of precursor chemicals for the purpose of section 71D of the **Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981**.\n\n\t2 Authorising provision\n\nThese Regulations are made under section 132 of the **Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981**.\n\n\t3 Commencement\n\nThese Regulations come into operation on  \n21 July 2017.\n\n\t4 Revocation\n\nThe Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2007[[1]](#endnote-2) are **revoked**.\n\n\t5 Definition\n\nIn these Regulations—\n\n***precursor chemical*** means a substance (including its salts, derivatives, isomers, analogues and homologues) that may be used in the preparation of a drug of dependence, whether or not the substance is contained in, or mixed with, another substance.\n\n\t6 Prescribed precursor chemicals\n\nFor the purpose of section 71D of the **Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981**, a substance specified in Column 1 of Schedule 1 is a prescribed precursor chemical.\n\n\t7 Prescribed quantities of prescribed precursor chemicals\n\nFor the purpose of section 71D of the **Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981**, the prescribed quantity applicable to a prescribed precursor chemical specified in Column 1 of Schedule 1 is the quantity specified in relation to that chemical in Column 2 of that Schedule.\n\nSchedule 1—Precursor chemicals and quantities\n\nRegulation 6 and 7\n\n| *Column 1*<br>*Prescribed precursor chemical* | *Column 2*<br>*Quantity of mixture of substance and prescribed precursor chemical* |\n| --- | --- |\n| Acetaldehyde | 50 grams |\n| Acetic anhydride | 100 grams |\n| ACETOPHENONE | 50 grams |\n| ACETOPHENONE oxime | 50 grams |\n| N-Acetylanthranilic acid | 500 grams |\n| N-Acetylephedrine | 25 grams |\n| N-Acetylpseudoephedrine | 25 grams |\n| Allylbenzene | 25 grams |\n| Allylpyrocatechol | 10 grams |\n| Alpha-phenylacetoacetonitrile | 50 grams |\n| 4-Amino-butanoic acid | 150 grams |\n| Ammonia | 150 grams |\n| Ammonium formate | 50 grams | |\n| anethole | 10 grams | |\n| Anthranilic acid | 500 grams | |\n| Benzaldehyde | 50 grams | |\n| 1,3-Benzodioxole | 25 grams | |\n| benzoquinone | 10 grams | |\n| Benzyl bromide | 50 grams | |\n| Benzyl chloride | 50 grams | |\n| Boron tribromide | 25 grams | |\n| Bromobenzene | 50 grams | |\n| 5-Bromo-1,3-benzodioxole | 25 grams | |\n| Bromo safrole | 5 grams | |\n| Calcium | 25 grams | |\n| chloroephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| 1-Chlorophenyl-2-aminopropane | 25 grams | |\n| chloropseudoephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| Chromic acid | 10 grams | |\n| Chromium trioxide | 10 grams | |\n| Ephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| Ergometrine | 0·005 grams | |\n| Ergotamine | 0·5 grams | |\n| Ethanamine | 50 grams | |\n| Ethyl phenyl acetate | 50 grams | |\n| N-Ethylephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| N-Ethylpseudoephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| Eugenol | 10 grams | |\n| Formaldehyde | 150 grams | |\n| Formamide | 50 grams | |\n| (helional) 3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropionaldehyde | 25 grams | |\n| Hydriodic acid | 25 grams | |\n| Hydrobromic acid | 25 grams | |\n| Hydrogen | 150 grams | |\n| Hydrogen chloride | 150 grams | |\n| Hydrogen sulfide | 150 grams | |\n| 4-Hydroxybutanal | 150 grams | |\n| 4-Hydroxy-butanoic acid nitrile | 150 grams | |\n| 4-Hydroxy pentanoic acid | 150 grams | |\n| 2-Hydroxytetrahydrofuran | 150 grams | |\n| Hypophosphite salts | 25 grams | |\n| Hypophosphorous acid | 25 grams | |\n| Iodine | 25 grams | |\n| Isosafrole | 10 grams | |\n| Lithium | 25 grams | |\n| Lithium aluminium hydride | 5 grams | |\n| Lysergic acid | 0·005 grams | |\n| Magnesium | 25 grams | |\n| Mandellic acid | 50 grams | |\n| Mercuric chloride | 0·1 grams | |\n| Mercury | 0·1 grams | |\n| n-methylalanine | 20 grams | |\n| Methylamine | 50 grams | |\n| Methylammonium salts | 25 grams | |\n| 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetic acid | 50 grams | |\n| [3,4‑(methylenedioxy)phenyl]acetonitrile | 50 grams | |\n| 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-2-nitropropene | 25 grams | |\n| 3,4-Methylenedioxyphenylpropan-2-one (PMK) | 5 grams | |\n| N-Methylformamide | 50 grams | |\n| N-Methyl ephedrine | 25 grams | |\n|  |  | |\n|  |  | |\n| methyl 3-[3'4'-(methylenedioxy)phenyl]-2-methyl glycidate (mmdmg) | 25 grams | |\n| alpha-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyphenylpropionamide (MMDPPA) | 25 grams | |\n| Methyl phenylacetate | 50 grams | |\n| N-Methylpseudoephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| Methylstyrene | 50 grams | |\n| Nitroethane | 50 grams | |\n| Nitromethane | 50 grams | |\n| Palladium | 0·5 grams | |\n| Phenylacetamide | 50 grams | |\n| Phenylacetic acid | 50 grams | |\n| 2-phenylacetoacetamide | 25 grams | |\n| Phenylacetonitrile | 50 grams | |\n| l-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-pac) | 25 grams | |\n| Phenylacetyl chloride | 50 grams | |\n| Phenylalanine | 50 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-bromopropane | 50 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-chloropropane | 50 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-iodopropane | 50 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-nitroPropene | 25 grams | |\n| Phenylpropanolamine | 25 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-propanol | 25 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-1-Propanone | 25 grams | |\n| 1-phenyl-2-propanone bisulfite adduct | 25 grams | |\n| 1-Phenyl-2-propanone oxime | 25 grams | |\n| Phosphorus | 10 grams | |\n| Phosphorous acid | 25 grams | |\n| Piperidine | 5 grams | |\n| Piperonal | 10 grams | |\n| Platinum | 0·5 grams | |\n| platinum oxide | 0·5 grams | |\n| Potassium | 25 grams | |\n| Propionic anhydride | 5 grams | |\n| Pseudoephedrine | 25 grams | |\n| Pyridine | 100 grams | |\n| 2-Pyrrolidone | 150 grams | |\n| Raney nickel | 5 grams | |\n| Safrole | 10 grams | |\n| Sodium | 25 grams | |\n| Sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy) aluminium hydride | 5 grams | |\n| Sodium borohydride | 5 grams | |\n| Sodium cyanoborohydride | 5 grams | |\n| sodium 2-methyl-3-(3,4-methylenedioxy)phenyl glycidate | 25 grams | |\n| sodium 2-methyl-3-phenyl glycidatE | 25 grams | |\n| Thionyl chloride | 25 grams | |\n| Thorium | 10 grams | |\n\n\n═════════════\n\nEndnotes\n\n1 General information\n\nSee [www.legislation.vic.gov.au](http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au) for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.\n\nThe Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017, S.R. No. 76/2017 were made on 18 July 2017 by the Governor in Council under section 132 of the **Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981**, No. 9719/1981 and came into operation on 21 July 2017: regulation 3.\n\nThe Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 18 July 2027 (see section 5 of the **Subordinate Legislation Act 1994**).\n\nINTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)\n\nStyle changes\n\nSection 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.\n\nReferences to ILA s. 39B\n\nSidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression \"(1)\" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.\n\nInterpretation\n\nAs from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:\n\n• Headings\n\nAll headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nThis includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.  \nSee section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).\n\n• Examples, diagrams or notes\n\nAll examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).\n\n• Punctuation\n\nAll punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after  \n1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.  \nSee section 36(3B).\n\n• Provision numbers\n\nAll provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after  \n1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).\n\n• Location of \"legislative items\"\n\nA \"legislative item\" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.\n\n• Other material\n\nAny explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).\n\n2 Table of Amendments\n\nThere are no amendments made to the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances (Precursor Chemicals) Regulations 2017 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.\n\n3 Amendments Not in Operation\n\nThere are no amendments which were Not in Operation at the date of this publication.\n\n4 Explanatory details\n\n1. Reg. 4: S.R. No. 84/2007. [↑](#endnote-ref-2)","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, the regulation appears to remain within its original intended scope of controlling precursor chemicals to reduce illicit drug manufacturing while permitting legitimate use. No evidence of scope expansion or contraction is apparent from the provided text."},"complexity_factors":["Requires cross-referencing with the parent Act (Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981) to understand full obligations","Chemicals regulated may span multiple industries, requiring sector-specific knowledge to assess impact","Distinguishes between different categories of precursor chemicals with potentially different rules for each","Multiple duty-holders affected differently (individuals, businesses, licensed professionals)","Technical chemical nomenclature requires scientific literacy to interpret","Licensing and authorisation framework adds procedural complexity","Limited detail available in the provided text, requiring reference to the full instrument for complete analysis"],"plain_english_summary":"This regulation controls the sale, purchase, possession and handling of common chemicals that can be used to make illegal drugs, balancing legitimate industrial, laboratory and household uses with misuse risks. \n\nIt affects chemical suppliers, businesses, healthcare and science professionals and individuals who deal with listed precursors — imposing potential licensing, record‑keeping and reporting duties and criminal penalties for unauthorised actions."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Regulations continue the established function of prescribing precursor chemicals and their threshold quantities for s71D of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Reg 1). They revoke the 2007 precursor regulations (Reg 4) but the text does not indicate an expansion or contraction of legal scope beyond replacing the list and quantities in Schedule 1."},"complexity_factors":["Primary operation is a single, fixed legal function: list chemicals and associate a prescribed quantity (Regs 6–7, Schedule 1).","Large technical Schedule with many chemical names and precise gram/milligram thresholds increases compliance and measurement complexity for regulated parties.","Definition extends to salts, derivatives, isomers, analogues and homologues, broadening coverage beyond named parent substances (Reg 5).","Relies on cross-reference to section 71D of the principal Act, so practical effect depends on external statutory provisions.","Revocation of earlier regulations replaced prior list but the instrument itself contains no transitional or enforcement detail, leaving implementation to the Act and regulators (Reg 4)."],"plain_english_summary":"These Regulations identify a long list of chemical substances and set the specific quantities of each that are treated as \"prescribed precursor chemicals\" for the purposes of section 71D of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981. They replace the 2007 precursor regulations and took effect on 21 July 2017.\n\nWho it affects: people and businesses that make, supply, store or possess the listed substances. The listed chemical and its quantity determine when the Act's precursor controls and related obligations apply."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations maintain their original narrow purpose: prescribing precursor chemicals and threshold quantities for the parent Act. The 2017 version updates the 2007 list but does not expand beyond this technical prescribing function."},"complexity_factors":["Only 7 operative regulations, with 1 definition and 2 substantive prescribing provisions","Single Schedule containing a straightforward table of chemicals and quantities","No nested exceptions, conditional logic, or cross-referencing between provisions","Minimal interpretative provisions - only one defined term ('precursor chemical')","No offence provisions, penalties, or procedural requirements within the instrument itself","Operates as a simple legislative instrument that refers out to the parent Act for all enforcement mechanisms"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations are a list of chemicals used to make illegal drugs, and the amounts that trigger legal restrictions. They work with the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Victoria) to control who can buy, sell, or possess these chemicals.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Creates a list of 100+ chemicals that can be used to manufacture drugs of dependence (like methamphetamine or MDMA)\n- Sets specific weight limits for each chemical. If you have more than that amount, special laws apply\n- Replaces older regulations from 2007 with updated chemical lists and quantities\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Chemical suppliers and hardware stores\n- Pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers\n- Researchers and universities\n- Anyone importing, exporting, or transporting these chemicals\n- Law enforcement (gives them clear thresholds for investigations)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nMany everyday chemicals (like iodine, hydrogen chloride, or pseudoephedrine) can be used to make illegal drugs. These regulations draw a line between normal commercial use and suspicious quantities that suggest drug manufacturing. The thresholds help police identify potential clandestine labs while allowing legitimate businesses to operate.\n\n**Key chemicals covered include:**\n- Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (cold medicine ingredients)\n- Safrole and isosafrole (used in MDMA production)\n- Various acids, solvents, and reducing agents\n- Some metals like lithium, sodium, and palladium used in chemical reactions"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017","history":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/drugs-poisons-and-controlled-substances-precursor-chemicals-regulations-2017/documents"}}