(time limit 20 minutes)
New Psychoactive Substance (NPS). Substances commonly known as Legal Highs are posing a significant risk in our communities. These drugs are designed to mimic the effects of other illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Although they are known as Legal Highs, this can be a misleading title. Many of these produced substances are already under the control of the misuse of drugs act but by naming them as Legal Highs, many young people believe that are safe to use and by being legal they are not as harmful as illegal substances. This is far from true.
The issue of Legal Highs has been previously raised in Full Council, back in December 2014, we know that many of you are already concerned about the problems they pose here in Oldham. It was resolved previously that further consultation work needed to be undertaken by Health and Wellbeing and it is encouraging to see that this is well underway.
NPS are more commonly manufactured in China and to a lesser extent, India. They are mainly imported into this country via mail and fast parcel services. The home office have found that they are then mainly distributed to users via friends, drug dealers, headshops and other retail outlets including garages, newsagents and takeaways. New substances appear rapidly on the market often replacing those substances that have been banned. Just a small change in the chemical ingredients can create a new substance that is not yet under control of the misuse of drugs act.
Legal Highs are easily accessible; you may have seen the evidence of them lying in the streets; the silver bullet type canisters that hold Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or little packets such as these. Although there are many different ‘brands’ of NPS they mainly fall into 5 main groups:
· Stimulant type drugs - that mimic substances like amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy
· Downers/Tranquillisers - that mimic various sedative drugs or opioid drugs
· Hallucinogenic - that mimic substances like LSD
· Dissociative drugs - these mimic substances like ketamine and PCP
· And finally Synthetic Cannaboids - that mimic the effects of cannabis
People take these substances for many of the same reasons people use other drugs because they enjoy the effects, they offer escapism, relaxation, shared social experiences and adventure and with NPS many people believe that they are legal which adds to the attraction.
There is little information available about the long term effects of NPS but short term use risks include:
· Overdose or seizures that can and have resulted in death
· Temporary psychotic states
· Unpredictable behaviour
· Sudden increase of decrease in heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature
· Hallucinations
· Vomiting
· Confusion and possible aggressive behaviour
· Feeling suicidal
· Physical and psychological dependency
I think we can all see that these are dangerous substances because of the health problems they create but we need to look at the wider implications too.
They can create social problems such as an increase in criminal activity, the breakdown of relationships, not engaging with school and education and social exclusion.
They create economic problems, as people develop personal debts, lose their jobs, have lower academic achievement and therefore affect future employment opportunities.
Legal Highs come at a great cost; a personal cost to individuals as well as a huge financial cost to services trying to deal with the associated problems they create.
We cannot afford to ignore this increasing issue.
Here in Oldham we know people are using NPS and let us be clear, it is not just young people. It is estimated that the average age of an NPS user is 40! This is an issue that potentially affects all residents in our borough. The latest statistic from Oasis, Oldham’s young people’s drug and alcohol services, reports that 27% of their clients are presenting with Legal High misuse. We believe this is set to increase unless we take action.
There is work already being undertaken in Oldham to address the issue of NPS. A task and finish group has been established with representation from a range of agencies and services to look at developing a co-ordinated and coherent approach in Oldham to the issue of NPS misuse.
We believe that the issue of NPS misuse needs to be a priority here in Oldham; we need to respond to the issue now before things get worse.
We believe there needs to be a shared strategy across Oldham from all agencies and services that includes a comprehensive campaign that raises awareness of what NPS are, prevents people from becoming users of NPS and has a programme that enables the support of people who do use them to become non users.
We need to be working in schools to educate young people, professionals and parents about NPS. We knew little about NPS until we undertook a workshop with Oasis Drug and Alcohol Service. Young people are being misled by the common name of Legal Highs, believing they are safe to use because they are legal and they are not fully understanding what they are consuming.
We need to be delivering work in communities to build awareness and resilience. This is not just a youth issue as more adults use Legal Highs, often using them as a replacement for drugs such as heroine, cannabis and cocaine.
We believe a better name for these substances is Lethal Highs; the ultimate price someone could pay is death! We have seen this price paid in other areas of the country; we don’t want the number of lives claimed by NPS to be higher.
We propose that Oldham Council recognises that NPS is a priority issue to be addressed and that it commits to supporting the work of the multi-agency task and finish group in its work to address the Issue of NPS misuse in Oldham.
Minutes:
Members of the Youth Council spoke on the following Motion:
“New Psychoactive Substance (NPS). Substances commonly known as Legal Highs are posing a significant risk in our communities. These drugs are designed to mimic the effects of other illegal drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Although they are known as Legal Highs, this can be a misleading title. Many of these produced substances are already under the control of the misuse of drugs act but by naming them as Legal Highs, many young people believe that are safe to use and by being legal they are not as harmful as illegal substances. This is far from true.
The issue of Legal Highs has been previously raised in Full Council, back in December 2014, we know that many of you are already concerned about the problems they pose here in Oldham. It was resolved previously that further consultation work needed to be undertaken by Health and Wellbeing and it is encouraging to see that this is well underway.
NPS are more commonly manufactured in China and to a lesser extent, India. They are mainly imported into this country via mail and fast parcel services. The home office have found that they are then mainly distributed to users via friends, drug dealers, headshops and other retail outlets including garages, newsagents and takeaways. New substances appear rapidly on the market often replacing those substances that have been banned. Just a small change in the chemical ingredients can create a new substance that is not yet under control of the misuse of drugs act.
Legal Highs are easily accessible; you may have seen the evidence of them lying in the streets; the silver bullet type canisters that hold Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or little packets such as these. Although there are many different ‘brands’ of NPS they mainly fall into 5 main groups:
· Stimulant type drugs - that mimic substances like amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy
· Downers/Tranquillisers - that mimic various sedative drugs or opioid drugs
· Hallucinogenic - that mimic substances like LSD
· Dissociative drugs - these mimic substances like ketamine and PCP
· And finally Synthetic Cannaboids - that mimic the effects of cannabis
People take these substances for many of the same reasons people use other drugs because they enjoy the effects, they offer escapism, relaxation, shared social experiences and adventure and with NPS many people believe that they are legal which adds to the attraction.
There is little information available about the long term effects of NPS but short term use risks include:
· Overdose or seizures that can and have resulted in death
· Temporary psychotic states
· Unpredictable behaviour
· Sudden increase of decrease in heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature
· Hallucinations
· Vomiting
· Confusion and possible aggressive behaviour
· Feeling suicidal
· Physical and psychological dependency
I think we can all see that these are dangerous substances because of the health problems they create but we need to look at the wider implications too.
They can create social problems such as an increase in criminal activity, the breakdown of relationships, not engaging with school and education and social exclusion.
They create economic problems, as people develop personal debts, lose their jobs, have lower academic achievement and therefore affect future employment opportunities.
Legal Highs come at a great cost; a personal cost to individuals as well as a huge financial cost to services trying to deal with the associated problems they create.
We cannot afford to ignore this increasing issue.
Here in Oldham we know people are using NPS and let us be clear, it is not just young people. It is estimated that the average age of an NPS user is 40! This is an issue that potentially affects all residents in our borough. The latest statistic from Oasis, Oldham’s young people’s drug and alcohol services, reports that 27% of their clients are presenting with Legal High misuse. We believe this is set to increase unless we take action.
There is work already being undertaken in Oldham to address the issue of NPS. A task and finish group has been established with representation from a range of agencies and services to look at developing a co-ordinated and coherent approach in Oldham to the issue of NPS misuse.
We believe that the issue of NPS misuse needs to be a priority here in Oldham; we need to respond to the issue now before things get worse.
We believe there needs to be a shared strategy across Oldham from all agencies and services that includes a comprehensive campaign that raises awareness of what NPS are, prevents people from becoming users of NPS and has a programme that enables the support of people who do use them to become non users.
We need to be working in schools to educate young people, professionals and parents about NPS. We knew little about NPS until we undertook a workshop with Oasis Drug and Alcohol Service. Young people are being misled by the common name of Legal Highs, believing they are safe to use because they are legal and they are not fully understanding what they are consuming.
We need to be delivering work in communities to build awareness and resilience. This is not just a youth issue as more adults use Legal Highs, often using them as a replacement for drugs such as heroine, cannabis and cocaine.
We believe a better name for these substances is Lethal Highs; the ultimate price someone could pay is death! We have seen this price paid in other areas of the country; we don’t want the number of lives claimed by NPS to be higher.
We propose that Oldham Council recognises that NPS is a priority issue to be addressed and that it commits to supporting the work of the multi-agency task and finish group in its work to address the Issue of NPS misuse in Oldham”.
Councillors Stretton and Williamson spoke in support of the Motion.
RESOLVED that:
The Council recognised that NPS was a priority issue to be addressed and committed to supporting the work of the multi-agency task and finish group, in its work to address the Issue of NPS misuse in Oldham.