Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, which provided Members with an overview of Novel/New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) also known as ‘Legal Highs’.

The Board was advised that overall drug use had reduced in the UK.  However, a significant recent development had been an increase in the range of new and easily available novel psychoactive substances (NPS), also known as “legal highs”. These chemical substances were newly created, and hence, were not automatically controlled under legislation.

The Board was further advised that these drugs had been designed to evade drug laws, were widely available and had the potential to pose serious risks to public health and safety and could even be fatal. The emergence of NPS and the pace at which they had developed was a concern to policymakers, law enforcement personnel and healthcare professionals locally, nationally and across Europe and beyond.

It was reported that In the UK NPS could be purchased on the internet, via dealers on the streets and in clubs and pubs, and in shops. Test purchasing had found that NPS could contain legal substances, illegal substances, or a mixture of both. It was also reported that the number of NPS available was constantly changing and growing. A record number of 81 substances had been identified for the first time in Europe in 2013 - an increase on previous years.

Furthermore, it was reported that the marketing and sale of NPS was often designed specifically to avoid legislation under the Medicines Act 1968. They were often sold in brightly coloured packaging under a variety of brand names with “not for human consumption” clearly stated. They may variously be described as “plant food”, “fish food”, “room odoriser” or other terms with labelling commonly stating that they were “research chemicals”.  Generally safety data was not provided.

Across the UK, the number of people seeking treatment for NPS use had increased significantly. In Halton local treatment data suggested that the reported use of NPS was low, although these figures only reflected those who had presented for treatment or support not actual community prevalence.

Nationally the number of deaths involving NPS was low compared with the number of deaths from heroin/morphine, methadone and cocaine poisoning. However, over the past few years there had been an increasing trend in the number of deaths linked to NPS use. Such deaths across the UK increased from 29 in 2011 to 52 in 2012, to 60 in 2013.  It was also reported that the link to the BBC website regarding information on legal highs being banned in Lincolnshire would be circulated to all Members of the Board.

          The Board noted the significant dangers to people using legal highs and that the number of people who had died had doubled during the last few years.  The acknowledged that it was an emerging issue and noted the difficulties and challenges they presented as they were classed as ‘legal’ and therefore the Police were unable to address the situation. The also Board noted that Northern Ireland had banned the use of legal highs. 

After considerable discussion, the Board agreed to set up a Working Group to look at what Halton could do to raise awareness of the dangers of Legal Highs and what practical approaches could be used to discourage the use of these substances. The Board also supported the recommendations for a Local Response to NPS.

The Board requested that the report be circulated to all Members of the Council to raise awareness of the issues relating to legal highs.    It was also suggested that Halton’s MP be contacted so that the issue could be raised in Parliament, with a view to legislation being formulated to illegalise such substances.

RESOLVED: That

(1)        the report and comments raised be noted;

(2)        that a Working Group be established and the following Councillors be nominated onto the Group:- Councillors Thompson (Chair), M Lloyd Jones, Ratcliffe and Zygadllo.