11/10/2012
Advisers Call For 'Legal High' To Be Banned
Government drug advisers are calling for a “legal high”, which has left nine people needing hospital treatment, to be banned.
Prof Les Iversen, of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said a synthetic form of cannabis known as Annihilation was "particularly potent".
The substance is currently legal and can be bought online but a formal recommendation to ban the substance throughout the UK will go to Home Secretary Theresa May next week.
A number of hospital cases related to its use have been reported in Scotland.
Prof Iversen, who is the chief drugs adviser, said some Annihilation users become "severely agitated" and "over stimulated".
He said hundreds of different chemical compounds similar to Annihilation would be covered by any legal ban.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is also calling for greater public awareness of the dangers of laughing gas - nitrous oxide - and helium.
Both gases are legal and have medical or commercial uses but can be lethal.
There were 42 deaths from helium last year. Most of them were thought to be suicides.
Nitrous oxide has also been linked to a small number of fatalities.
(H)
Prof Les Iversen, of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said a synthetic form of cannabis known as Annihilation was "particularly potent".
The substance is currently legal and can be bought online but a formal recommendation to ban the substance throughout the UK will go to Home Secretary Theresa May next week.
A number of hospital cases related to its use have been reported in Scotland.
Prof Iversen, who is the chief drugs adviser, said some Annihilation users become "severely agitated" and "over stimulated".
He said hundreds of different chemical compounds similar to Annihilation would be covered by any legal ban.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is also calling for greater public awareness of the dangers of laughing gas - nitrous oxide - and helium.
Both gases are legal and have medical or commercial uses but can be lethal.
There were 42 deaths from helium last year. Most of them were thought to be suicides.
Nitrous oxide has also been linked to a small number of fatalities.
(H)
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Board To Review 'Legal Highs'
The Home Office has announced a review of synthetic drugs, know as "legal highs", that can be bought online and in some shops. Concerns have been raised that current drug laws are insufficient to tackle legal highs. Recent figures reveal that in England and Wales, the number of deaths from legal highs has reached 52, almost doubling in a year.
Board To Review 'Legal Highs'
The Home Office has announced a review of synthetic drugs, know as "legal highs", that can be bought online and in some shops. Concerns have been raised that current drug laws are insufficient to tackle legal highs. Recent figures reveal that in England and Wales, the number of deaths from legal highs has reached 52, almost doubling in a year.
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Further Six Arrested In No Deal Operation In Birmingham
A further six people have been arrested as part of an ongoing operation targeting suspected drug dealers in Birmingham. Police carried out a series of dawn raids on Thursday 24 September, arresting a 17-year-old man, two 19-year-olds and three men aged 21, 26 and 47.
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Heroin And Morphine Drug Deaths Fall
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Drugs Misuse 'Too Great To Ignore'
Reducing the number of problem drug misusers and disrupting the illicit drugs market can bring huge social and economic benefits to Scotland, Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing said today.
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Reducing the number of problem drug misusers and disrupting the illicit drugs market can bring huge social and economic benefits to Scotland, Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing said today.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
