Legal Highs- What is it all about? Sinead O’Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010 Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Introduction This is an introductory guide to drugs that are used legally and illegally in Ireland. Some of the ethno botanical psychoactive ingredients have been reportedly used for a number of reasons globally for centuries including medically, religiously and spiritually. With the every changing nature and trends of Substance use and misuse in Ireland drugs that are not included under the Misuse of Drugs Act have become increasingly popular for a number of reasons amongst our nations population. The objective of this presentation is to supply information to medical Practitioners, key workers and parents around the area of legal highs and their effects, signs and symptoms Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

What is a drug? A Drug is any substance that changes the way the body 1.Feels 2.Acts 3.Thinks Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Eight Categories of Drugs Caffeine Tobacco Alcohol Volatile Substances Over the Counter Medication Illegal Use Of Prescription Medication Legal Highs Any substance listed under the Misuse Of Drugs Act Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Stages of Dependency Drug Free Experimentation Recreational Misuse Abuse Addiction Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Epidemiological Triangle Individual Situation Environment Individual Situation Environment Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

The Legal High Phenomena The legal high phenomena Emerged in recent years at low levels and in specific Localities Primarily targeted specific sub groups of the Population Advertise and sell legal highs though the products sold are Often synthetic chemicals Also the content on the Packaging do not always match Contents when chemically analysed Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

The Legal High Phenomena The internet has emerged as a new market place for psychoactive substances Two European surveys in 2008 and 2009 showed that in 2008 there were 68 on line shops which rose to 115 in 2009 These are spread across 17 countries with the majority (52%) located in the UK, followed by Netherlands (6%) and Germany(4%) Ireland accounted for 1% Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Internet- The Legal High Phenomena More than 90 substances have been reported through the EMCDDA’s ( European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction ) early warning system since its established in 1997 In 2008 alone there were 11 new synthetic drugs and 2 new plant based substances reported to the EMCDDA Ireland is among the large number of countries across Europe facing a new Drug Market which sells alternatives to illegal drugs Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Internet The Legal High Phenomena The Internet and Legal High Shops are the main sales outlets The internet has emerged as a new market place for psychoactive substances providing retailers with the possibility of offering for sale alternatives to controlled drugs to a large public This market s demonstrating an ability to adapt quickly to control measures and production processes Therefore product ranges and marketing approaches are highly innovative Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

What is Legal High Shop A legal high shop is a shop that sells legal highs and drug paraphernalia for Smoking and ingesting substances. While legal high shops may Claim they sell these drugs for use such as plant feeders and fertilisers or bath salts they sell them alongside Drug taking Paraphernalia which May Suggest otherwise. Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Legal High Shops The substances are generally bought from Shops or online that sell legal and herbal highs and paraphernalia including growing equipment These shops are known as head shops, hemp shops, grow shops smart shops etc.. These products are also sold on line Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Legal Highs Legality Legal Highs can be a misleading term because although they are not Listed under the Misuse Of Drugs Act most of the substances are regulated by the Medicines Act which makes it illegal to sell, supply or advertise them for human consumption Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Not for human consumption Many suppliers and manufactures use descriptions such as bath salts, incense or plant foods They claim these substances are “not intended for human consumption” as a way of getting around the drug laws Legal highs are sold under a variety of names often with no or obscure ingredients listed on the packet so it is impossible to know what is being taken and how the user is going to react Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Label Disclaimer Hawaiian Baby Wood Rose Seeds: Not for human consumption Sold for botanical / horticultural/ herbarium specimen only. Speedo’s: Re hydrate yourself regularly drinking lots of water or fruit juice EX1: We make no health claims and take no responsibility for the consequences of their use Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Banning Legal Highs Dr Corrigan NACD states that banning legal highs would only serve to Force the trade onto the black market Dr Corrigan insisted the Government needed to send out a Clear message to young people that these chemicals were not safe. “Even if you had a regulated head shop system, some of these products are so dangerous that no regulatory authority would allow them on the market. Many of these products will unfortunately end up on the black market anyway.” “Banning these substances is sending out a clear message that These materials are not safe, which is important as a lot of young people think these materials have been legalised by the use of this phrase ‘legal highs,’ but nobody has certified these chemicals as being safe of good quality,” Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Concerns of banning legal highs New legal derivatives are coming on the market every time( even before) a product is included under the Misuse of Drugs Act – cat and mouse Closing shops can promote the underground nature of the buzz attached to selling products i.e. promotion of delivery services and on line shopping for products When sold in the illegal market substances have to compete with established illegal substances ecstasy or cocaine Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

What is a Legal High A drug is any substance that changes the way a body feels acts or thinks A Legal high is a drug that is not controlled under the Misuse Of Drugs Act and is Therefore legal to possess Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Term Legal High The term Legal High is the term that is being used across all media circles including radio TV print media and internet and as such is now established as an accepted term and idiom Legal doesn’t automatically mean safe Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

What does it do? A legal high will mirror the effect of illicit substances and will generally cause the following effects Aphrodisiac Hallucinogenic Depressant Stimulant Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Concern for Primary Target Shoppers 1. Recreational cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine users – buy the product as an alternative to its illegal counterpart 2. Young people – have not experimented with illegal substances but will buy the legal alternative 3. Opiate user- buying products to mix with or use as an alternative or to elongate the effect. Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Methods of Use Injected with a needle under the skin, into a vein or muscle Smoked or inhaled through the mouth or nose, or Inhaled by using burners, hookahs, pipes or tinctures Placed on a mucous membrane such as nose or under the eyelid, anus. Chewed, swallowed or dissolved slowly in the mouth or Rubbed into the skin Tablet Form – swallowed mixed with juice – to create an effect Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Consequences of using legal highs Anxiety Seizures Hot and cold sensation all at once Tingling sensation Depression Memory Loss Impotence Paranoia Kidney Failure Panic attacks Death Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Products Ingredients Products include three main sources 1.Ethno Botanical psychoactive plants and Herbs 2.Natural and Synthetic Chemicals 3.Compounds Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Ethno Botanical Psychoactive Plants Some Legal and herbal highs come from plants They are cleverly marketed as being plant based natural legal highs – something more natural and therefore less harmful than other drugs which may not be the case Some of the plants contain potent alkaloids and compounds which can be fatal to those who ingest them …salvia Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

Synthetic Chemicals Other legal highs are known as synthetic drugs. These are drugs created to get around the drug laws usually by modifying the chemical structure of existing drugs or by creating a new drug that can produce similar effects to illicit drugs but legally Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010

COMPOUNDS Manufacturer’s include ingredients who’s only function is as a gelling agent or capsule cover This may sometimes cloud the relevant information required before consumption Sinead O.Mahony Carey Substance Misuse Service HSE 2010