legally high?
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Legally High?. With Scott Jardine D and G Police Katy MacLeod- Training and Outreach Coordinator- Crew. What are legal highs?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
www.crew2000.org.uk
Legally High?
WithScott Jardine D and G Police
Katy MacLeod- Training and Outreach Coordinator- Crew
What are legal highs?Legal Highs are substances made from assorted herbs, herbal extracts and ‘research chemicals’, which emulate the effects of some illegal drugs such as Cannabis, LSD, Cocaine, or others.
These substances are not currently controlled by the Misuse of Drugs or Medicine Acts.”
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Arthur & Grunert (2005)
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Terminology
Legal highs
New Psychoactive substances
Novel Psychoactive Substances
Research chemicals
Designer drugs
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Head shops
47 known head shops in Scotland
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ONLINE SALES OF NPS (Legal Highs)
Jan 2010 : 170 Online Shops
Jan 2011: 314 Online Shops
Jan 2012: 639 Online Shops
March 2013 : ???
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Source: EMCDDA, 2013
“Eric” the chemistPage 7
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Current legislationUKMisuse of drugsMedicines actTemporary class drug ordersConsumer protection legislation
Ireland- New Psychoactive substances billNZ-Psychoactive Substances bill
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EnforcementNo Change to Police action
1/5 contain control drugs*
Purity
Adulterants
Festivals
Hospital admissions
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* Home Office, 2012
Novel Psychoactive substancesPage 10
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NPS- how much a problem in Scotland?
We don’t know!!What we do know..
•Crime survey•Salsus•Global Drug Survey
People often don’t present at drug servicesPeople don’t report/aren’t asked
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Drugs Crew’s clients present withShop(harm reduction advice sessions)
Counselling Festival Crisis Intervention
Outreach survey(drug used most often)
Cannabis 34% Cannabis 57% Alcohol 75% Cannabis 42%
General NPS 23% Cocaine 31% Ecstasy/MDMA 33%
Alcohol 24%
Alcohol 15% Alcohol 13% Unknown 10% MDMA/Ecstasy 14%
MDMA 8% GHB/GBL 11% Cannabis 8% Cocaine 9%
Cocaine 6% General NPS 10% Cocaine 6% Mephedrone 4%
Steroids 3% Mephedrone 10% LSD/Mushrooms 6%
Ketamine 2%
Ketamine 2% Speed 10% Legal Highs 5% Valium 1%
Mephedrone 2% MDMA 6% Benzos 3% Speed 1%
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Club Drug ClinicPage 13
Amphetamine and cocaine replacements
Opiate and benzo replacements
Cannabis replacements
Ecstasy replacements
LSD and psychedelic
replacements
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04/21/23 17
The return of MDMA!
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Source: Images courtesy of SCDEA
Ecstasy
Still can find piperazines in Ecstasy tablets-include BZP, mcPP, TMFPP
PMA and PMMA has been found in some ecstasy tablets
More recently AMT/5-IT in tablets
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Source: Images courtesy of SCDEA
Why NPS?Able to buy onlineOther drugs unavailableValue for moneyQuality of other drugs poorBetter quality then illegal drugsLegal statusPrefer effectThink they are saferNo access to illegal drugsDog detection lessUrine screen detection less
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GDS, 2012
Synthetic versions often not preferred by users
Other drivers for use:LegalityDrug testsEase of purchase
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Intended effectsPage 22
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Dissocociation/altered
perceptions
Euphoria
Relaxation
Elevated mood
Empathy/connection with others
Connection with music
Feelings of stimulation and
energy
Escapism
Side effects
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PalpitationsChest painBreathing
problemsHeadachesNauseaRenal issuesTachycardiaPeripheral
Vasoconstriction
CravingsAgitationIrritabilityRestlessnessInsomniaHallucinationsDepressionAnxietyParanoiaCrisis mental state
Ivory Wave poisoned patients
NPIS 2012
Presentation of toxicity - symptoms
NPIS 2012
The drug is only one part…
Effects on the user
(experiences & long term)
Set
DrugSetting
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Adapted from Norman Zinberg
OMG THAT TREE IS EATING THE SKY!!
Yeah, me neither. Where’d you get this
stuff Steve?
I’m not feeling anything…
A friend of a friend sold it to me, but it hasn’t hit me yet,
How ‘bout you Mike?
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High risk groups?
Users using to excessive levels
Naive users (young/new to NPS)
Users with underlying health issues
Poly drug usersInjectors
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Freestock image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1334532
Other key issues
Active ingredients unknown
Dose
Duration of using episode
Plain stupidity!
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Some user perspectives..
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“It was like being inside a purple washing machine for 10 hours on high spin” unknown legal high user
“Synthetic varieties are surprisingly potent… it’s quite a chemical stone. I much prefer cannabis but I like the fact it doesn’t stink the place out like good grass does.” synthetic cannabinoid user
“I thought it was going to be like coke, I didn’t realise it was going to be trippy. I was looking for a high and I got a bloody high all right..” AMT user
Internet user forumsErowid
Bluelight
Pill reports
Drugs Forum
Partyvibes
Hundreds More…
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Harm reductionAdvice around administration routeTest dosing and dosage informationAvoid poly drug use including alcoholConsidering set and settingHaving a “sitter”Thinking about safe sex Getting home safelyGoing to sleep on their side
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TreatmentDrug counselling
Residential treatment
Fellowships and self help
Alternative therapies
Sleep management
Tapering strategies
Prescribing?
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Dumfries and Galloway
NPS Working Group set up in May 2012
Partnership Working
Briefing DocumentsEducation InputsSurvey MonkeyBasic Awareness for professionalsApp developmentConferenceED / Mental HealthCaffeine Based Drinks
Crew
Training packagesInformation and advice to professionals and staffDrug monitoring groupsCrew online “My Crew”Drugs database/Phone AppOngoing research in trends
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What can workers do?
Ask about new psychoactive substances
Its ok not to know therefore gain knowledge from service users
Appropriate signposting
Share local trends with DMG groups , Crew, Police and others
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What does the future hold ?Page 37
Potential dilemma:Less users and more problems
Or
More users and less problems(Moro, 2012)
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Questions?
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Contact details
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Scott Jardine 0845 600 [email protected]
Katy MacLeod 0131 220 [email protected]
AcknowledgementsThanks to:
The club drug clinic (London)Dr Adam Winstock The Global Drugs SurveyDr. John Ramsay TicTacMark Adley (The Drugs Wheel)SCDEAJames Dear-National Poisons information Service
References:EMCDDAEU DRUG MARKETS REPORT | A STRATEGIC ANALYSIS ANNUAL REPORT ON THE HOME OFFICE FORENSIC EARLY WARNING SYSTEM (FEWS)A SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY NEW PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCESI N THE UK
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