The ‘psycho’ drugs that put users in hospital

‘They are very dangerous’

SOARING numbers of Scots are being admitted to hospital suffering from mental disorders caused by ‘designer’ drugs.

Figures released yesterday by the NHS Information and Statistics Division show that hospital stays for psychiatric problems due to substance use rose from 11,009 in 1997-98 to 13,923 in 2015-16.

Experts warn that increasing use of highly addictive, psychoactive substances is behind the rise. The synthetic drugs, which replicate the effects of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy emerged around 2009 as a legal alternative.

But after a spate deaths, the sale of the substances was outlawed in May 2016. Shortterm effects include temporary psychosis, hallucination and aggression, with users seeming to be in a zombie-like state.

Dr Neil McKeganey of the Centre for Substance Use Research in Glasgow said: ‘Use of drugs such as heroin and cocaine is not increasing, so the rise in hospital stays is more likely to be related to the use of new psychoactive substances. They are very dangerous.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We take the risks posed by psychoactive drugs very seriously.

‘New UK-wide legislation introduced in 2016 has created offences to restrict the sale and supply of such substances.’