The bulletin, which is produced annually, presents statistics on seizures of controlled drugs and persons dealt with for offenses involving controlled drugs; in addition to giving figures for 1988, corresponding figures for the previous 10 years are given where possible. The statistics relate to the misuse of drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which came into force on July 1, 1973, and divides drugs into three categories according to their harmfulness. The statistics of seizures cover seizures made during the year by police and by officials of H.M. Customs and Excise and other bodies such as the Port of London Authority. In the statistics of offenders, the offender is recorded in the year of sentencing which will in many cases not be the year in which the offense was committed. 30 tables.