More regulation 'not enough' to tackle legal highs
Responding to an article written by Toby Perkins MP calling for more council powers to tackle retailers selling legal highs, addiction support charity Addaction argues that a real solution must include education, support and advice.
Toby Perkins MP is right to say that ‘legal highs’ are a growing concern and right to point out that the term itself is dangerously misleading. In the substance misuse sector they’re called New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs), in part because the word ‘legal’ implies these drugs must be safe or at least tested, when that's far from the truth.
NPSs are usually sold marked as 'not for human consumption' and for good reason. People taking them are exposing themselves to risks of overdose, injury, accidents and – if they’re injecting – blood-borne viruses and infections, too.
It’s notoriously difficult to control these substances, either at local or at international level. An enormous amount of the NPS trade is conducted online, so while it’s of course very worrying that they are available in many town centres, we shouldn’t kid ourselves that their growing use can be solved through local policing alone. Any regulatory measures must be accompanied by education, support, advice and – in serious cases – specialist treatment.
National reporting indicates that NPSs are largely used by young people so early intervention is all important. At Addaction, we work to deliver this through our youth services and our Resilience Programme, which was made possible by the Big Lottery Fund, and is being delivered to 250,000 school pupils in partnership with the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
Rather than following the well-worn ‘just say no’ approach, our Resilience Programme instead equips pupils with the skills and knowledge they need to make truly informed decisions around drugs and alcohol. It provides the security, space and opportunity needed to talk about subjects and personal problems that young people may feel embarrassed about or unwilling to share. We know all too well that substance misuse is a way for people to escape these exact problems.
We’re glad that Toby Perkins MP has raised the issue of NPSs. Addaction shares his concerns and hope that his comments lead to renewed focus on the issue in government. But if political parties are serious about reducing substance misuse, we would stress that regulation must be accompanied by funding for education around drugs and specialist support to address the underlying causes of substance misuse.
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