Government set to ban 'legal highs'

Dec 23 2009

The Government is due to ban a range of "legal highs" amid criticism from some quarters that the move does not go far enough.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson will announce that GBL, BZP and man-made chemicals sprayed on herbal smoking products such as "Spice" are now illegal.

The substances will be classed as a controlled substance and be banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The crackdown on legal highs comes after the high-profile death of medical student Hester Stewart.

The 21-year-old, studying molecular medicine at the University of Sussex, died in Brighton in April after taking GBL.

Her mother Maryon said on Tuesday that classifying GBL as a class C drug "doesn't send the right warnings" to impressionable young people.

Mrs Stewart told GMTV: "I don't think it goes far enough. In America, it is schedule A, which is the equivalent of a Class A drug here."

Mr Johnson said: "We are cracking down on so-called 'legal highs' which are an emerging threat, particularly to young people. That is why we are making a range of these substances illegal from today with ground-breaking legislation which will also ban their related compounds.

"We are sending out a clear message to anyone who is thinking about experimenting with them, particularly over the festive period, that not only are they putting themselves in danger, they will also be breaking the law."

Tim Hollis, Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) lead on drugs, said: "Police are all too well aware of the harms caused in local communities, particularly to young people, by these drugs and we support the decision taken by the Home Office to clearly spell this out."