A new system to deal with harmful drugs should be developed to replace the "inadequate" classification system, it has been suggested.
The UK Drug Policy Commission, an independent body set up in 2007 to analyse government drug policy, teamed up with think tank Demos for a research project to explore alternative approaches to the problem.
More than 600 compounds are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act, which categorises drugs as class A, B or C.
But the legislation is almost 40 years old and no longer capable of keeping up with the speed at which new harmful drugs are developed and sold, according to the organisations involved in the project.
The UKDPC highlighted recent resignations of members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the dispute over the decision to ban mephedrone as examples of problems in the current system.
The collaboration, funded with £50,000 from the A B Charitable Trust, said it would look at different methods for drug control by reviewing international approaches and bringing together experts to study the issue.
The project is expected to be completed by October, with results published at the end of the year.
Roger Howard, chief executive of the UK Drug Policy Commission, said: "We hope to help formulate potential new drug control processes that are 'fit for our time', so the strategic capacity of the system to react to new threats is improved and public, professional and scientific confidence is renewed."
Jonathan Birdwell, lead researcher at Demos, said: "The furore about drugs like mephedrone has put this issue in the spotlight.
"The sooner policy makers feel they have the evidence to bring about reform, the sooner people who are concerned about drugs, or are worried about harm, will get the answers they need."
