1. The Drugs Wheel Training A new model for substance awareness
For use with both service users and professionals
Available in a wide range of formats

2. (e.g. psilocybin mushrooms)
In the beginning….
The pharmacological literature classifies the active ingredients of psychoactive plants as sedatives, stimulants or hallucinogens, and until the latter part of the 20th century this remained the predominant model of drug classification.
Training
Sedatives
(e.g. opium)
Stimulants
(e.g. coca)
Hallucinogens
(e.g. psilocybin mushrooms)

3.
Training
It is not clear when the ‘sedative, stimulant and hallucinogenic’ model of drug classification was replaced but a new model appeared, nicknamed the DASH model.
The DASH model split the sedative group into two groups: analgesics (painkilling drugs) and depressants (to include the wide of tranquillisers on the market).

4. Depressants Stimulants Analgesics Hallucinogens
28/04/2017
Depressants
(e.g. alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates)
Stimulants
(e.g. amphetamines, cocaine)
Analgesics
(e.g. heroin, morphine, codeine)
Hallucinogens
(e.g. LSD, psilocybin)
The history of legal highs
Legal highs were thrown into the media limelight in 2009 after a University of Sussex student died after ingesting Gamma-Butryolactone (GBL). After months of media attention, the then government prohibited the consumption, possession and distribution of a number of so-called ‘legal highs’, namely GBL, Benzylpiperazine (BZP) and synthetic cannabinoids under the Misuse of Drugs Act These drugs became illegal on 23rd December 2009.
The media frenzy that ensued put pressure on the government to ban certain legal highs. In April 2010 the government banned mephedrone, but legal high makers started quickly tweaking the chemical compounds in their formulas to wiggle out of breaking the law. The Misuse of Drugs Act now covers over 600 substances, but it is 40 years out of date and struggles to keep pace with the sheer amount of new chemical compounds hitting the UK recreational drug scene each year. Legislating against them is a timely and complex process, so in November 2011, the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated. So far, only methoxetamine (also known as MXE and mexxy) has been made instantly illegal to supply by a TCDO – it was banned on Thursday 5 April 2012.
The aforementioned Mixmag/Guardian survey shows in hard stats the impact of the mephedrone ban. Before the ban, 33% of users bought their mephedrone from websites, 24% from dealers. After the ban, a whopping 58% bought from dealers, and only 1% purchased from a website. More worryingly, the illegalisation had a dramatic effect on the quality of the drug. Pre-ban, only 30% of users thought their product had been cut (i.e. mixed with other drugs or filler products). After the ban, 80% suspected it had been cut. And the ban didn’t even reduce usage: 42% of those surveyed had tried mephedrone before the ban, rising to 61% after it.
In November 2011 the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated.
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

5. Arylcyclohexylamines
2010-current
28/04/2017
Due to the influx of so many new psychoactive substances, by 2010 many drugs workers had added an ‘Other’ box to the DASH model to make room for the large amount of new drugs that didn’t fit into existing categories:
Depressants
Stimulants
Other
Analgesics
Hallucinogens
AM-694, CP47,497, CP , HU-210, HU-211, HU-243, JWH-015, JWH-018, JWH-019, JWH-073, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-133, JWH-200, JWH-203, JWH-210, JWH-250, RCS-4
The history of legal highs
Legal highs were thrown into the media limelight in 2009 after a University of Sussex student died after ingesting Gamma-Butryolactone (GBL). After months of media attention, the then government prohibited the consumption, possession and distribution of a number of so-called ‘legal highs’, namely GBL, Benzylpiperazine (BZP) and synthetic cannabinoids under the Misuse of Drugs Act These drugs became illegal on 23rd December 2009.
The media frenzy that ensued put pressure on the government to ban certain legal highs. In April 2010 the government banned mephedrone, but legal high makers started quickly tweaking the chemical compounds in their formulas to wiggle out of breaking the law. The Misuse of Drugs Act now covers over 600 substances, but it is 40 years out of date and struggles to keep pace with the sheer amount of new chemical compounds hitting the UK recreational drug scene each year. Legislating against them is a timely and complex process, so in November 2011, the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated. So far, only methoxetamine (also known as MXE and mexxy) has been made instantly illegal to supply by a TCDO – it was banned on Thursday 5 April 2012.
The aforementioned Mixmag/Guardian survey shows in hard stats the impact of the mephedrone ban. Before the ban, 33% of users bought their mephedrone from websites, 24% from dealers. After the ban, a whopping 58% bought from dealers, and only 1% purchased from a website. More worryingly, the illegalisation had a dramatic effect on the quality of the drug. Pre-ban, only 30% of users thought their product had been cut (i.e. mixed with other drugs or filler products). After the ban, 80% suspected it had been cut. And the ban didn’t even reduce usage: 42% of those surveyed had tried mephedrone before the ban, rising to 61% after it.
In November 2011 the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated.
Ketamine
Arylcyclohexylamines
MDAI/Methylone
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

6. Other By 2012 the ‘Other’ box was overfilling rapidly... Depressants
2010-current
28/04/2017
By 2012 the ‘Other’ box was overfilling rapidly...
Depressants
Stimulants
Other
Analgesics
Hallucinogens
AM-694, CP47,497, CP , HU-210, HU-211, HU-243, JWH-015, JWH-018, JWH-019, JWH-073, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-133, JWH-200, JWH-203, JWH-210, JWH-250, RCS-4.
A , AB-001, AM-1201, AM-2201, AKB-48, CP55,244, CP55,940, EM-2201, MAM-2201, UR-144, URB-75, URB-754, WIN 55,212-2
Ketamine
Arylcyclohexylamines
MDAI/Methylone
The history of legal highs
Legal highs were thrown into the media limelight in 2009 after a University of Sussex student died after ingesting Gamma-Butryolactone (GBL). After months of media attention, the then government prohibited the consumption, possession and distribution of a number of so-called ‘legal highs’, namely GBL, Benzylpiperazine (BZP) and synthetic cannabinoids under the Misuse of Drugs Act These drugs became illegal on 23rd December 2009.
The media frenzy that ensued put pressure on the government to ban certain legal highs. In April 2010 the government banned mephedrone, but legal high makers started quickly tweaking the chemical compounds in their formulas to wiggle out of breaking the law. The Misuse of Drugs Act now covers over 600 substances, but it is 40 years out of date and struggles to keep pace with the sheer amount of new chemical compounds hitting the UK recreational drug scene each year. Legislating against them is a timely and complex process, so in November 2011, the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated. So far, only methoxetamine (also known as MXE and mexxy) has been made instantly illegal to supply by a TCDO – it was banned on Thursday 5 April 2012.
The aforementioned Mixmag/Guardian survey shows in hard stats the impact of the mephedrone ban. Before the ban, 33% of users bought their mephedrone from websites, 24% from dealers. After the ban, a whopping 58% bought from dealers, and only 1% purchased from a website. More worryingly, the illegalisation had a dramatic effect on the quality of the drug. Pre-ban, only 30% of users thought their product had been cut (i.e. mixed with other drugs or filler products). After the ban, 80% suspected it had been cut. And the ban didn’t even reduce usage: 42% of those surveyed had tried mephedrone before the ban, rising to 61% after it.
In November 2011 the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated.
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

7. 2010-current
28/04/2017
In 2011 Mark Adley, a drugs worker from the North East of England joined DrugWatch, an informal information network established by a group of professionals working in the UK drugs sector whose aim is to raise/establish standards for drug information, alerts and warnings.
With support from DrugWatch Mark developed the Drugs Wheel model, adding three new categories: cannabinoids, dissociatives and empathogens.
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

8. The Drugs Wheel development
28/04/2017
The Drugs Wheel development
Depressants
Stimulants
Empathogens
Cannabinoids
Analgesics
Hallucinogens
Dissociatives
AM-694, CP47,497, CP , HU-210, HU-211, HU-243, JWH-015, JWH-018, JWH-019, JWH-073, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-133, JWH-200,
JWH-203, JWH-210, JWH-250, RCS-4.A , AB-001, AM-1201, AM-2201, AKB-48, CP55,244, CP55,940, EM-2201, MAM-2201, UR-144, URB-75, URB-754, WIN 55,212-2
MDAI
The history of legal highs
Legal highs were thrown into the media limelight in 2009 after a University of Sussex student died after ingesting Gamma-Butryolactone (GBL). After months of media attention, the then government prohibited the consumption, possession and distribution of a number of so-called ‘legal highs’, namely GBL, Benzylpiperazine (BZP) and synthetic cannabinoids under the Misuse of Drugs Act These drugs became illegal on 23rd December 2009.
The media frenzy that ensued put pressure on the government to ban certain legal highs. In April 2010 the government banned mephedrone, but legal high makers started quickly tweaking the chemical compounds in their formulas to wiggle out of breaking the law. The Misuse of Drugs Act now covers over 600 substances, but it is 40 years out of date and struggles to keep pace with the sheer amount of new chemical compounds hitting the UK recreational drug scene each year. Legislating against them is a timely and complex process, so in November 2011, the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated. So far, only methoxetamine (also known as MXE and mexxy) has been made instantly illegal to supply by a TCDO – it was banned on Thursday 5 April 2012.
The aforementioned Mixmag/Guardian survey shows in hard stats the impact of the mephedrone ban. Before the ban, 33% of users bought their mephedrone from websites, 24% from dealers. After the ban, a whopping 58% bought from dealers, and only 1% purchased from a website. More worryingly, the illegalisation had a dramatic effect on the quality of the drug. Pre-ban, only 30% of users thought their product had been cut (i.e. mixed with other drugs or filler products). After the ban, 80% suspected it had been cut. And the ban didn’t even reduce usage: 42% of those surveyed had tried mephedrone before the ban, rising to 61% after it.
In November 2011 the government brought in Temporary Class Drug Orders (TCDO), which permitted an instant ban on new drugs until they could be further investigated.
Methylone
Ketamine
Arylcyclohexylamines
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

9. Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
The Drugs Wheel
28/04/2017
The Drugs Wheel development
Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
Disassociatives: make you feel disconnected from reality without necessarily ‘tripping’
Cannabinoids: JWH-018 was the active chemical in ‘Spice’, the first of the synthetic cannibinoids to be classified (Class B).
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

10. Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
The Drugs Wheel
28/04/2017
The Drugs Wheel is updated regularly to reflect emerging chemicals and/or changes to the law.
The inner and outer rings of the wheel can be adapted.
For example they could refer to prescribed or non-prescribed drugs, or licenced/non-licenced.
Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
Disassociatives: make you feel disconnected from reality without necessarily ‘tripping’
Cannabinoids: JWH-018 was the active chemical in ‘Spice’, the first of the synthetic cannibinoids to be classified (Class B).
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

11. The Drugs Wheel
Feedback from professionals finds that the Drugs Wheel clarifies the new psychoactive market and makes it easier for both workers and clients to navigate the new drug landscape.
Rather than having to learn about every new drugs, the Drugs Wheel can be used to identify a drug by its category.
Despite differences between drugs, similar rules apply to drugs in the same category:

12. Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
28/04/2017
Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
Disassociatives: make you feel disconnected from reality without necessarily ‘tripping’
Cannabinoids: JWH-018 was the active chemical in ‘Spice’, the first of the synthetic cannibinoids to be classified (Class B).
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

13. Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
28/04/2017
Examples of illegal drugs (outer wheel) and a legal equivalent (inner wheel)
Amphetamine
Ecstasy
Morphine
2-AI
W-15
MDAI
Empathogens: make you feel warm towards others
Disassociatives: make you feel disconnected from reality without necessarily ‘tripping’
Cannabinoids: JWH-018 was the active chemical in ‘Spice’, the first of the synthetic cannibinoids to be classified (Class B).
Diazepam
Etizolam
1P-LSD
LSD
5f-pb22
Ether
Cannabis
Ketamine
The Drugs Wheel Training: Crew 2000

14. Evolution
The Drugs Wheel licensing allows people to use or adapt it (free of charge) to meet their service’s needs. This is the Effects Wheel.

15. The Drugs Wheel Game
The Game version was originally designed as a substance awareness tool for clients.
Soon expanded for use with a wider range of professionals.
Available originally as a free DIY download kit.
Also available as a professionally printed version.

16. Contents & instructions
The Drugs Wheel Game
Contents & instructions
Board, instructions, drug labels and description cut-outs are provided with both versions of the game.

17. The Drugs Wheel Game
The game can be played on an individual or group basis. These are simplified versions of the instructions:
Round 1: The seven drug categories are placed around the wheel and each are discussed. Explain/elicit how drugs can overlap categories.
Round 2: The drug labels are placed on the wheel, in the correct category, and inner or outer ring for the drug. Explain/elicit how prescription drugs can be both legal and illegal depending on whether you have a prescription.
Groups: When conducting this as a group exercise, points can be given to each team; for example one point for placing the drug in the right category, and a second point for placing the drug correctly in the inner or outer ring.

18. Development and Licence

19. Development and Licence
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