1. Dr. Paul Skett Forensic Pharmacologist Glasgow Expert Witness Service
Legal Highs
Dr. Paul Skett
Forensic Pharmacologist
Glasgow Expert Witness Service

2. Outline Legal Highs – What are they? Legal Highs – What do they do?
Legal Highs – toxicity?
What is the problem?

3. Legal Highs – What are they?
Legal Highs are substances that mimic the effects of illegal drugs of abuse but are not (at present) covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Substances that mimic heroin, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, benzodiazepines (e.g. diazepam, temazepam), LSD.

4. Legal Highs – What are they?
Can range from herbal extracts that contain caffeine e.g. guarana, which are relatively benign to highly toxic synthetic chemicals.

5. Legal Highs – What are they?
Pharmaceutical companies spend billions of pounds trying to find and test new drugs – the finding is easy – testing costs the money!
Just need to look for similar but different structures
Let’s look at an example

6. Mephedrone –v- Amphetamine

7. Mephedrone –v- Amphetamine

8. Mephedrone – what does it do?
Designed to resemble amphetamine but actually has a mixture of properties similar to ecstasy and cocaine
Euphoria, heightened awareness, alertness, talkativeness, empathy

9. Mephedrone – what does it do?
Side effects – increased blood pressure, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, depression, fits, memory deficits.

10. Mephedrone
Added to Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 on 16th April 2010 as well as other cathinones – i.e this was a generic regulation.
So what did the suppliers do?

11. Naphyrone Suppliers had another substance waiting!
Not in Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Added in June 2010

12. Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Government now suggest “temporary” ban on “legal highs” – to allow “research” to be done to ascertain dangers.
Will this work?

13. Other “Legal Highs” Anandamide – “legal” derivative of cannabis
Fluorotropacocaine – “legal” derivative of cocaine
All covered by Medicines Act 1968 if to be ingested – but often sold as “plant food”, “pond cleaner”, “bath salts”

14. What’s the problem?
The word “legal” – legal suggests “safe” - “legal” draws in wider user base - few, if any, actually tested for toxicity - many have serious adverse effects

15. What’s the problem?
Huge market – difficult to judge accurately but in the £ billions
Largely in hands of criminal gangs – evidence at present is main source is China
Many new substances waiting in the wings

16. What’s the problem? Not actually sure what you are getting
New one out “Ivory Wave” – marketed as bath salts - no analysis as yet but word on the street is it is MPDV – methylenedioxypyrovalerone - actually a Class B drug

17. The Way Forward?
Increasing pressure from many sides to move towards decriminalising drug abuse - it is a MEDICAL problem - supply pure, tested substances e.g. heroin, cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine
Will society accept this?

18. My contact details
Dr. Paul Skett Forensic Pharmacologist GEWS 46A, Carlton Place, Glasgow G5 9TW.
Tel: Fax: