'Legal highs' ban in the UK plan criticised by drugs charities

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'Legal highs' ban in the UK plan criticised by drugs charities

29 May 2015

Drugs charities in Wales say plans to place a blanket ban on "legal highs" will only drive the drugs underground.

The Psychoactive Substances Bill, to be published on Friday, aims to ban the production, distribution, sale and supply of new psychoactive substances (NPS). But charities Sands Cymru and Cais say it will not tackle the "huge social problem".

The UK government said the bill would give authorities "greater powers".

"It's an absolute waste of time," said Ifor Glyn, chief executive of Sands Cymru in Swansea. "The fact that it's illegal doesn't have any impact on people using it. "It doesn't drive the problem away. There are people out there who are buying and wanting these drugs. They will go on the internet.

"We've already seen somebody from Wales recently die after he bought drugs off the internet and it was five times more potent than heroin.

"We need to educate people about the risk of these drugs."

Click here to read the full article.

For more information, also read this article by Niamh Eastwood from Reelase on the Huff Post.

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