Commissioner backs new law on 'Legal Highs'

So-called 'Legal Highs' are now illegal

Police and Crime Commissioner Keith Hunter has given his support to new legislation on so-called ‘Legal Highs’ which comes into effect today, Thursday 26th May 2016.

The Psychoactive Substances Act will introduce a blanket ban on the production, supply and importation of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), commonly referred to as ‘Legal Highs’ and prosecution may lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.

Keith Hunter said: “I’m well aware of the problems associated with so-called ‘Legal Highs’ and I think the name is part of the issue because people would see these substances as having achieved some legitimacy because of the word ‘legal’. I think we should start calling them what they are, which is dangerous substances, the contents of which we have no idea of in the vast majority of cases.

“The new legislation will take some steps to ensure people don’t use them, but part of the issue here is education to illustrate to people, particularly young people, the very serious effects some of these substances can have, which can be more serious than some of the more traditional drugs. What I would say is, don’t put anything into your body unless you know exactly what it is. We need a strong educational process in place with local authorities to reach out to people using so-called ‘Legal Highs’ and show them that there are different ways they can be happy in their lives rather than pumping chemicals with unknown side-effects into their bodies.

For further details on the new legislation see: www.gov.uk/government