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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Legal highs: which drugs will be banned in the UK? | Legal highs: which drugs will be banned in the UK? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Whether it’s a high that’s been around since the 17th century, or a chemical cocktail created last weekend, successive governments have found it difficult to get a grip on legal highs. | |
| Ban one thing then tweak the compound slightly and the revamped drug becomes legal again. This is because the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 classifies drugs as illegal by their chemical compounds. | Ban one thing then tweak the compound slightly and the revamped drug becomes legal again. This is because the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 classifies drugs as illegal by their chemical compounds. |
| Related: Laughing gas sales to be outlawed in government's legal highs clampdown | Related: Laughing gas sales to be outlawed in government's legal highs clampdown |
| Two new legal highs are identified in Europe every week, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction says. | |
| Ministers will publish a draft law on Friday to ban psychoactive substances, which would technically cover everything from coffee and cigarettes to cider, though caffeine, alcohol and nicotine are exempt, as are food and medicinal products. | Ministers will publish a draft law on Friday to ban psychoactive substances, which would technically cover everything from coffee and cigarettes to cider, though caffeine, alcohol and nicotine are exempt, as are food and medicinal products. |
| The scale of the ban means that drugs used in Britain for centuries, such as laughing gas, would become illegal, as well as any new mix mimicking the effects of illegal drugs. | The scale of the ban means that drugs used in Britain for centuries, such as laughing gas, would become illegal, as well as any new mix mimicking the effects of illegal drugs. |
| These are some of the drugs “head shops” will no longer stock: | These are some of the drugs “head shops” will no longer stock: |
| Laughing gas | Laughing gas |
| Once the preserve of 15-year-olds watching Wheatus at the Reading festival, nitrous oxide has has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years – despite the risk that it can cause unconsciousness from oxygen depravation. | |
| The Daily Mail even published an article claiming the use of “hippy crack” had become so widespread, middle-class women were dragging on balloons in their living rooms. | The Daily Mail even published an article claiming the use of “hippy crack” had become so widespread, middle-class women were dragging on balloons in their living rooms. |
| Poppers | Poppers |
| Poppers are a group of chemicals called alkyl nitrates which have become so mainstream that those shiny little bottles continue to be sold at late-night petrol stations. | Poppers are a group of chemicals called alkyl nitrates which have become so mainstream that those shiny little bottles continue to be sold at late-night petrol stations. |
| As well as giving you what the national drug education service, Frank, diplomatically terms “enhanced sexual experiences”, huffing poppers gives users a sudden massive head rush. They can also cause your blood pressure to plummet to a dangerous level and can kill if swallowed. | As well as giving you what the national drug education service, Frank, diplomatically terms “enhanced sexual experiences”, huffing poppers gives users a sudden massive head rush. They can also cause your blood pressure to plummet to a dangerous level and can kill if swallowed. |
| Salvia | Salvia |
| Salvia, a plant closely related to sage and mint, is sold as “herbal ecstasy” and can be chewed, rolled up and smoked or inhaled through a bong. | Salvia, a plant closely related to sage and mint, is sold as “herbal ecstasy” and can be chewed, rolled up and smoked or inhaled through a bong. |
| Once the preserve of shamans in the Mazatec region of southern Mexico, its popularity has surged recently after footage of people taking it swept YouTube. | |
| Like any hallucinogen, there’s believed to be a risk salvia can trigger psychotic episodes. Or you could just end up looking as daft as the people on YouTube. | Like any hallucinogen, there’s believed to be a risk salvia can trigger psychotic episodes. Or you could just end up looking as daft as the people on YouTube. |
| Spice (synthetic cannabinoids) | Spice (synthetic cannabinoids) |
| Remember how horror stories of meow meow, m-kat and benzo fury made headlines after a spate of deaths, and was quickly banned? Spice was poised to be the next dangerous drug at the centre of such a controversy after it was linked to several deaths. | Remember how horror stories of meow meow, m-kat and benzo fury made headlines after a spate of deaths, and was quickly banned? Spice was poised to be the next dangerous drug at the centre of such a controversy after it was linked to several deaths. |
| Many of the chemicals in cannabinoids, which can be ordered online and have a variety of stupid names such as clockwork orange, black mamba, annihilation, and devil’s weed, are illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. But because police can’t be sure of the exact cocktail of chemicals in the packets, the government thought it best to ban everything. | Many of the chemicals in cannabinoids, which can be ordered online and have a variety of stupid names such as clockwork orange, black mamba, annihilation, and devil’s weed, are illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. But because police can’t be sure of the exact cocktail of chemicals in the packets, the government thought it best to ban everything. |
| Alcohol substitutes | Alcohol substitutes |
| Prof David Nutt, the drugs adviser fired by the government for his views on ecstasy, is part of a team developing “alcosynth”, billed as a safer alternative to alcohol. | Prof David Nutt, the drugs adviser fired by the government for his views on ecstasy, is part of a team developing “alcosynth”, billed as a safer alternative to alcohol. |
| Nutt says the pill mimics the tipsy sensation felt after a few lagers, without the street brawling and liver damage. But although alcohol is exempt under new regulation, the synthetic alcohol is not, so Nutt’s new drug will be banned. | Nutt says the pill mimics the tipsy sensation felt after a few lagers, without the street brawling and liver damage. But although alcohol is exempt under new regulation, the synthetic alcohol is not, so Nutt’s new drug will be banned. |