“Legal” Highs Increasing in Popularity in the U.K.
In the United Kingdom, young adults are turning to “legal” highs due to the poor quality of cocaine on the streets. The NHS’s National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) said that the number of 18- to 24-year-olds being treated for addiction in 2009 to 2010 declined significantly for every drug except marijuana, as young adults are using fewer illicit drugs and instead looking to “legal” highs. Mephedrone (also known as Meow, Bubbles, and M-Cat) is one of these drugs, although it was made illegal earlier this year.
The NTA report said that legal highs being available on the market means that new drugs are continuing to be produced, and new drugs come with new concerns about their harmful effects. The report said that data suggest that people have sought treatment for these new drugs, and it could take some time for people using these drugs to develop symptoms that require treatment.
Peter Kelsey, team leader for Lifelide Redcar and Cleveland, a charity that helps drug addicts dealing with poverty, illness, and distress, said that people think these drugs are safe because they are legal, but they are anything but safe. He added that his charity has seen a rise in people seeking treatment for these kinds of drugs, which could be due to the poor quality of cocaine and the fact that the drugs aren’t yet illegal.
Source: The Press Association, Legal Highs Chosen Over Cocaine, October 7, 2010
