Young Scot Legal Highs

From 26 May 2016, the so-called “legal highs” became illegal. “It horrifies me that young people voluntarily take a substance without knowing what it contains or what effects it will have. We know that 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds take these substances, some get sick and are hospitalized. The move follows the outbreak of two infections among 125 registered users of ethylphenidate – a legal high sold as Burst, Blue or Blue Stuff – at NHS Lothian. Possession of these substances with the intention of providing them (selling them to other people), offering them (such as giving them to your friends) or importing legal highs (buying them from websites abroad to be delivered here) can mean that you can face 7 years in prison and/or a fine. The online film allows young people to choose from a number of different scenarios, all based on the theme of NPS and alcohol, each drawing different conclusions. Detective Inspector Michael Miller, national drug coordinator for individual strength, said the film aims to “separate fact from fiction” by fighting a “myth” that such substances can be taken safely because of their legal status. A new online video has been released to educate Scottish teenagers about the dangers of legal drugs. Dr Richard Stevenson, consultant in emergency medicine at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, warned that legal highs are an “ongoing problem” in patients presenting to the emergency room. “People self-medicate with various medications to counteract the effects of others leading to poisoning,” he said. “When a drug is banned or made illegal, users look for legal alternatives, but due to different doses and effects, people miscalculate the amount required for the same effect.

For more information on legal highs, see Know the score and talk to Frank. Inspector Miller pointed out that the term “legal high” is misleading; He concludes that since drugs are not illegal to buy, they are safe to consume. Schools across Scotland will receive a new interactive online film to warn young people of the dangers of “legal highs”. New psychoactive substances (NPS) were once called “legal highs”. These are synthetic drugs designed to mimic the effects of recreational drugs. Many are illegal or contain illegal elements. Their exact content is not known or indicated on their packaging, which makes them potentially extremely harmful. “In addition to the physical health risks associated with ingesting these chemicals, we are now seeing patients with increased mental illness caused by legal highs.” New psychoactive substances (NPS) were commonly referred to as legal highs.

Would you like to know more about the “Legal Highs”? The Choices for Life team has assembled a panel of experts to answer some of your questions. The interactive online video is available to all secondary schools in Scotland and is intended to be part of an awareness campaign to educate pupils about the dangers associated with legal highs, also known as new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as alcohol. Legal highs are available for free in many stores, but are labeled as unfit for human consumption. Viewers of the film can choose how the narrative unfolds and receive a series of scenarios, all with different endings. Five more minutes in bed? Coco Pops or Special K? Going to a party? The choices we make in life, no matter how small, affect us all. But when it comes to so-called legal highs, what decisions are you going to make? In this interactive Choices for Life video, it`s up to you. Detective Inspector Michael Miller commented: “It has become clear that officers are spending more and more time dealing with the various problems caused by new psychoactive substances as the tendency to take them intensifies. It horrifies me that young people voluntarily take a substance without knowing what it contains or what effects it will have.

We know that 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds take these substances, some of whom feel unwell and hospitalized. The film, which will be made available to secondary school teachers, aims to discourage young people from taking new psychoactive substances (NPS). Thanks to the work of the Partnership Against Alcohol and Drugs and our Safer Communities team, frontline services now have greater knowledge and understanding. Now you can respond, process, and interact effectively with people who use NPS. “It has become clear that officials are spending more and more time dealing with the multiple problems caused by new psychoactive substances as the trend to take them intensifies,” he said. We continue to raise public awareness of NPS and related harms and encourage those affected to seek appropriate support. The film is part of an interactive tool called `Choices for Life` developed by Police Scotland`s Safer Communities team. The project works with the Scottish Government and Young Scot. Learn more about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and smoking on the Choices For Life homepage. Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, said the Scottish Government had already invested £4 million in Choices for Life and was adopting a number of recommendations from an expert panel that presented its report earlier this year. Police Scotland, which developed the film in collaboration with Young Scot and the Scottish Government as part of the Choices for Life initiative, has seized more than 3,200 tablets, 6,400 packets and 5,400 grams of NPS since August last year.

Holyrood anticipates that the police and Scottish Government intend to explore the possibility of a similar interactive resource tailored to primary school pupils, with topics based on local discussions. Choices is an interactive video drama where you can make Ben`s choices for him. as well as the consequences. Created by PACE theatre and Choices for Life, this new video puts you in control. The question is what decisions you will make. These substances are not always safe to use and often contain controlled drugs. The launch comes just two weeks after six teenagers were hospitalised in the west of Scotland after ingesting a substance considered a synthetic cannabinoid. “The dangers of new psychoactive substances are a ticking time bomb for our health, justice and third sector organisations across Scotland, which is why this government is doing everything in its power to combat them,” he added.