Worry Words

Modtools will flag up offers or requests that contain 'worry words'. These post will be flagged up for moderating, whether the member is on moderation or not. This allows volunteers to review the post and see whether there are any concerns. Advice can be sought on Central or directly from the Guidance links shown below. Some items to look out for are:

Explosive precursors

Explosive precursors are defined as substances that could be used to manufacture explosives illegally.

From 26 May 2015 , members of the public who want to acquire or import these chemicals must hold a licence issued by the Home Office and an associated photographic identity document.
From 3 March 2016, members of the public who want to possess or use these chemicals must hold a licence issued by the Home Office and an associated photographic identity document.
Businesses who sell or supply such chemicals must report suspicious transactions and significant losses and thefts.

The most likely (although still very unlikely) offers and requests we should keep an eye out for are:

Regulated substances

These are ones which people are only allowed to buy (or in our case offer/ask for) above a certain concentration if they have a license. For example yellow phosphorus, or concentrated acids.

Reportable substances

These are ones where suspicious acquisitions should be reported. What counts as suspicious depends on the amount of the substance and whether or not someone has a plausible explanation. For example, potassium nitrate can legitimately be used in smoking sausages, but if you were acquiring an amount which would smoke more sausages than Poland consumes in a year, then then that’s suspicious and should be reported.

Links

• Home Office Guidance Licensing for home users of poisons and explosive precursors [[1]]
• Home Office Guidance on licensed transactions forinternet retailers of poisons and explosives precursors [[2]]
• Home Office guidance of supplying explosive precursors [[3]]

Fireworks

it has been decided that Fireworks shouldn't be allowed as an offer or request on Freegle.

Medicines

We have a page about Drugs, medicines and supplements.

Drugs for human consumption

In summary, we should not allow drugs or medicines for human consumption to be offered on our groups. That includes:

• Prescription Only Medicines (POM), which can be sold by a pharmacist if prescribed by a doctor.
• Pharmacy medicines, which may be sold by a pharmacist without prescription.

• General sales list medicines (GSL), which may be sold without a prescription in any shop.

Veterinary medicines

In summary, we should not allow most veterinary drugs or medicines.

Medicines carrying any of the distribution categories below cannot be offered via Freegle.

• POM-V – these are prescription only medicines and may only be supplied by a veterinary surgeon or pharmacist in accordance with a prescription from a veterinary surgeon.
• POM-VPS – these are prescription only medicines and may only be supplied by a veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or suitably qualified person (SQP) in accordance with a prescription from one of these persons.
• NFA-VPS – these are medicines that may only be supplied by a veterinary surgeon, pharmacist of SQP

Medicines carrying the following distribution category can be offerd via Freegle:

• AVM-GSL - There are no legal restrictions in the Veterinary Medicines Regulations for the retail supply of veterinary medicines classified as AVM-GSL (“over the counter” medicine) but a responsible approach to the supply of these medicines is still expected.

Other items

For other items that might raise concerns, see the list at Specific items.