Expert group to review Scotland’s approach to new drugs
27 Jun 2014 04:19 PM
Group to examine sale and supply of new
psychoactive substances
An expert group is
to be established to review the powers which are currently available in
Scotland to tackle the sale and supply of new psychoactive substances (NPS),
commonly known as ‘legal highs’.
The announcement,
which builds on the conclusions of the Scottish Government summit on new drugs
in April, was made by the Minister for Community Safety Roseanna Cunningham
prior to attending the British-Irish Council on the Misuse of Substances in
Dublin today.
The working group
will consider the devolved and reserved powers currently available to
authorities such as Police Scotland, Trading Standards and the Scottish
Government to tackle the issue of NPS. It will also contribute to the Scottish
Government's response to the Home Office review of NPS legislation which is
expected to be published later this year.
Between 2009-
2012, NPS was implicated in 73 deaths and in 14 of those deaths it was the only
substance taken.
Ms Cunningham
said: “Today’s meeting in Dublin underlines the Scottish
Government’s commitment to work with our partners in Scotland and across
the UK to combat the supply and use of ‘new drugs’. I also had a
very constructive discussion with Mr Baker, the Minister of State for Crime
Prevention, this morning and I assured him of our continued commitment to
working within the powers available to tackle this issue of common
concern.
“Drugs
legislation and the legality of new psychoactive substances, or ‘legal
highs’ as they are known, are the responsibility of Westminster. We in
Scotland do not have the power to ban them, but we are absolutely determined to
do all that we can to restrict access to them, and educate people about the
inherent dangers to minimise any further loss of life.
“As part of
our ‘Road to Recovery’ strategy it’s important the we have a
clear understanding of the powers which are currently available to us in
relation to these substances, and that those powers are used to maximum effect
- that’s why the establishment of this expert group is so
important.
“Figures
released just this week confirm that overall drugs use is down in Scotland.
However, the availability of new substances, the lack of information about the
ingredients used and the devastating effects that they can have , is a major
concern, not only in Scotland but throughout the world.
“The move
towards establishing the group – as we approach the festival season - is
particularly timely. Too many Scots have already lost their lives after using
these drugs and I want to send out a clear message that because they may be
legal that does not mean they are safe or that they won’t have
devastating or indeed fatal consequences.”
Representatives of
organisations who have an interest in, and experience of, tackling the sale and
supply of new psychotic substances from a legal, policy and
practitioner’s perspective have been invited to sit on the group. The
invitations have been distributed today and it is anticipated that the group
will begin meeting in the next few weeks.
A further
announcement will be made in due course in relation to the membership of the
group.