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Legal Highs

Legal Highs. Dr. Paul Skett Forensic Pharmacologist Glasgow Expert Witness Service. Outline. Legal Highs – What are they? Legal Highs – What do they do? Legal Highs – toxicity? What is the problem?. Legal Highs – What are they?.

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Legal Highs

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  1. Legal Highs Dr. Paul Skett Forensic Pharmacologist Glasgow Expert Witness Service

  2. Outline • Legal Highs – What are they? • Legal Highs – What do they do? • Legal Highs – toxicity? • What is the problem?

  3. Legal Highs – What are they? • Legal Highs are substances that mimic the effects of illegal drugs of abuse but are not (at present) covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. • Substances that mimic heroin, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, benzodiazepines (e.g. diazepam, temazepam), LSD.

  4. Legal Highs – What are they? • Can range from herbal extracts that contain caffeine e.g. guarana, which are relatively benign to highly toxic synthetic chemicals.

  5. Legal Highs – What are they? • Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of pounds trying to find and test new drugs – the finding is easy – testing costs the money! • Just need to look for similar but different structures • Let’s look at an example

  6. Mephedrone –v- Amphetamine Amphetamine

  7. Mephedrone –v- Amphetamine Amphetamine Mephedrone

  8. Mephedrone – what does it do? • Designed to resemble amphetamine but actually has a mixture of properties similar to ecstasy and cocaine • Euphoria, heightened awareness, alertness, talkativeness, empathy

  9. Mephedrone – what does it do? • Side effects – increased blood pressure, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, depression, fits, memory deficits.

  10. Mephedrone • Added to Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on 16th April 2010 as well as other cathinones – i.e this was a generic regulation. • So what did the suppliers do?

  11. Naphyrone • Suppliers had another substance waiting! • Not in Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 • Added in June 2010

  12. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 • Government now suggest “temporary” ban on “legal highs” – to allow “research” to be done to ascertain dangers. • Will this work?

  13. Other “Legal Highs” • Anandamide – “legal” derivative of cannabis • Fluorotropacocaine – “legal” derivative of cocaine • All covered by Medicines Act 1968 if to be ingested – but often sold as “plant food”, “pond cleaner”, “bath salts”

  14. What’s the problem? • The word “legal” – legal suggests “safe”- “legal” draws in wider user base- few, if any, actually tested for toxicity- many have serious adverse effects

  15. What’s the problem? • Huge market – difficult to judge accurately but in the £ billions • Largely in hands of criminal gangs – evidence at present is main source is China • Many new substances waiting in the wings

  16. What’s the problem? • Not actually sure what you are getting • New one out “Ivory Wave” – marketed as bath salts- no analysis as yet but word on the street is it is MPDV – methylenedioxypyrovalerone- actually a Class B drug

  17. The Way Forward? • Increasing pressure from many sides to move towards decriminalising drug abuse- it is a MEDICAL problem- supply pure, tested substances e.g. heroin, cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine • Will society accept this?

  18. My contact details • Dr. Paul SkettForensic PharmacologistGEWS46A, Carlton Place,Glasgow G5 9TW. • Tel: 0141-418 4325Fax: 0141-418 0518email: paul.skett@ntlworld.com

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