Stockport Labour Group has called for increased powers for Councils and Greater Manchester Police to tackle legal highs, including a complete ban on the sale of these substances over the counter and online.
Labour Councillor Chris Murphy, who is proposing a motion to the full Council meeting on July 2nd, said ‘Legal highs contain a range of ingredients and there has been little meaningful research conducted into the effects of consuming these drugs.
‘The use of legal highs is particularly prevalent amongst 16-24 year olds, with almost 8% reporting using nitrous oxide at some point during the last year.’
The Office for National Statistics recorded that 60 deaths were linked to the use of legal highs during 2013, the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Cllr Murphy added ‘The effects vary from person to person, and the drugs advisory service FRANK state that as well as the risk to life, the impact can include paranoia, seizures and comas.
‘The powers I am pushing for will enable the Council and the Police to tackle the problems created by the increased use of legal highs.’
A Psychoactive Substances Bill was announced in the Queen’s Speech. This would make it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, import or export legal highs.
The Local Government Association has been calling for legislation on legal highs since Councils were handed responsibility for Public Health budgets in 2013.
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Office for National Statistics data on deaths involving legal highs can be found here:
Crime Survey of England and Wales data on the usage on legal highs can be found here (section 2.4):