Legal Highs Facts
In this article, we will discuss what legal drugs are, the laws surrounding them, and the dangers of getting a legal high. Synthetic cannabinoids include Spice, Black Magic and K2. These are usually legal herbs sprayed with lab-optimized versions of THC. Studies suggest that long-term use of legal highs can lead to a number of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and memory loss. High legal use can also cause a number of physical health problems such as kidney and liver damage. Whether they use legal or illegal drugs, a person can develop an addiction. Even if you prefer to get a legal high, it is possible to become addicted to this substance. Legal highs can be taken orally, inhaled, injected, smoked or drunk. However, in 2013-2014, that number was 76 deaths. Data from the ONS show that the average age of deaths related to legal highs is 28. This is about ten years younger than the average for illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Since 2004, nine teenagers have died while taking legal highs.
The above statistics also refer only to illicit drugs. If you take into account the drugs that you can get a legal effect from, that number is probably much higher. In addition to some unpleasant side effects, legal drugs can certainly be addictive. Signs of addiction for these substances can vary depending on exactly what you are taking. This ultimately means that you can never be sure what exactly Legal High contains. Because of this uncertainty, if you need medical intervention due to a legally elevated overdose, healthcare professionals may have difficulty applying the appropriate treatment needed for resuscitation. From 26 May 2016, the so-called “legal highs” became illegal. Below, we list the top five risks associated with high legal consumption. Some of these risks are short-term in nature, while others may result solely from a strong long-term legal dependence. You can avoid all these risks by completely avoiding legal highs. As we mentioned earlier, legal highs are actually illegal in the UK.
Before 2016, this was not the case, which meant that many were getting away with supplying or using these substances. Overdose – The underground nature of legal highs synthesis means that drugs are not tested or regulated before they hit the market. Ingredients and potency can vary widely, making it difficult for users to determine what size of a dose is acceptable without causing an overdose. Legal highs are especially dangerous when mixed with other substances such as alcohol. In addition, many legal highs sold in the UK are manufactured in Chinese factories where standards are poor. The answer to this question is a resounding NO! As mentioned above, 76 people died in 2013-2014 due to the use of legal highs. It is important that you do not equate “legal” with “safe”. And because legal highs are relatively new chemicals, there is no data on the medium and long-term effects of taking these drugs. Almost all new psychoactive or “legal high” drugs have effects that fall into one of four categories: in the United States, the 1986 controlled substance analogue was enacted in an attempt to preemptively prohibit these drugs by making it illegal to “manufacture, sell, or possess chemicals that are substantially similar in chemistry and pharmacology to Schedule I or Schedule II drugs.” Data from the ONS show that deaths related to legal highs have more than tripled since 2009-2010. In 2007, only seven people died in England and Wales due to legal highs. The label “legal high” gives people a false sense of security when using these substances.
Certainly, if something is legal, then it must be safe? It should be noted that the Psychoactive Substances Act does not include possession of legal highs as a criminal offence. Indeed, the law aims to take action against manufacturers and distributors and not against consumers of substances. For this reason, some experts say it may be safer for people to take illegal drugs than to use legal highs. Optimizing chemicals without testing their effects is certainly a recipe for disaster and contrasts with the huge amount of money pharmaceutical companies spend testing new drugs before they hit the market. Legal highs can be more dangerous than some illicit substances. People believe that because some of these drugs are legal, they are safe for use. This leads to easy handling when obtaining. Many addicts choose to use these drugs as an act of novelty and the desire to try to experience exciting sensations. In reality, not enough is known about these drugs to say anything for sure about their potency, side effects, or what happens when you legally mix effects with other drugs or alcohol. Some cases of this behavior have led to comas, difficulty breathing, and death. It was an even greater risk for people with heart disease, epilepsy, high blood pressure or asthma.
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. Of course, there are legal drugs in the UK that you can take. But these are completely separate from “legal highs”. Legal highs have actually been illegal since 2016. However, the line is very thin when it comes to this legislation. If you have a small amount of legal drugs in your possession, but are caught giving to your friends, you could be prosecuted for distributing those drugs. This is true even if you don`t take money from your friends for this exchange. This is an older law that prevents the abuse of controlled drugs. Basically, drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy made it illegal to manufacture, supply or import these substances. Just because they`re legal doesn`t mean legal highs are safer than other drugs. In fact, they can be even more dangerous.
In addition to these unknown risks, legal highs carry the same risks as other drugs. These risks include: In general, these are substances that closely mimic the effects of illicit drugs such as ecstasy or cocaine.