TIP OF THE SPICEBERG
Experts Only seven charged after legal highs ban but hundreds are still suffering
A crackdown on danger drugs like Spice has seen just seven people reported to prosecutors after new laws were introduced a year ago.
Spice was among so-called legal highs banned across the UK in May 2016. The Home Office said nearly 500 people were arrested in the six months after the Psychoactive Substances Act came in.
But just seven people have been reported by police in Scotland over the “zombie” drug.
Politicians and counsellors raised concerns over the figures and an ex-user said they represented a tiny fraction of those using the substances.
Drugs experts also said the new law may have pushed users back into using illegal drugs cocaine and cannabis.
Scottish Labour justice spokeswoman Claire Baker said: “Given the level of concern around these substances prior to the legislation, the numbers reported and charged are low. “We must see assurances that the legislation is being properly enforced and the police have the resources available to them to do so.”
Scottish Tory MP Ross Thomson added: “This legislation was supposed to make a real difference in the fight against legal highs. But it seems the impact has been minimal while lives across Scotland continue to be ruined by these substances.”
The Act makes it an offence to make or supply any substance intended for human consumption that’s capable of producing a psychoactive effect – with a threat of up to seven years in jail.
Scottish Drugs Forum chief executive David Liddell said: “Our research shows many users have moved back to t radit iona l drugs . Supply of psychoactive substances is now in the hands of criminal gangs.”
Figures obtained by the Sunday Mail under Freedom of Information laws show seven people were reported by police in the first year of the new laws.
The Crown Office said 16 charges were prosecuted – nine of possession with intent to supply, four of supply and three of producing the drugs.
Liddell added: “The charges brought for possession are presumably against prisoners as the Act outlaws possession in that context but not in other settings.”
New psychoactive substances (NPS) were linkedto 62 deaths in Scotland in 2014. Pol ice Scotland said 90 retailers sold the drugs before the ban but none were found to be selling after it came in.
Recovering user Brian Douglas said: “People are using these drugs the length and breadth of Scotland. These figures won’t even represent a fraction of users.”
A Crown Office spokesman said they give “careful consideration” to anything the police report to them about the production and supply of the drugs.
Holyrood Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “The ban on NPS a year ago had an immediate impact on the sale and distribution of these dangerous substances.
“We continue to monitor the impact of the legislation, and tackle NPS on a variety of fronts.”
Police Scotland said about 80 more cases were in the pipeline.
Det Insp Ian Spence, of the dedicated psychoactive substances unit, said: “There have been hold- ups as the legislation is new and it’s the first time we’ve prepared cases such as these.”