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Simplepowa
In Pursuit of Knowledge


Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 4,310
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‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop
#18559334 - 07/14/13 09:09 PM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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in-cumbria
‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop
Last updated at 13:59, Tuesday, 09 July 2013
LEGAL highs will kill a child in South Cumbria before the end of the year unless action is taken, a top police officer has warned.
WARNING Superintendent Mark Pannone clutches a handful of sachets which contain legal highs. He is warning their increased use is putting lives at risk
Sign the petition to ban legal highs epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ petitions/52459
In the last 12 months there have been more than 140 incidents reported to the police involving young people who have taken them.
Superintendent Mark Pannone has singled out legal highs as the number one danger to young people in South Cumbria, due to the “unknown” nature of the drugs, often sold under the guise of bath salts, plant food or ”research chemicals”.
Supt Pannone said: “There have been deaths throughout the country and it’s only a matter of time before a teenager or child dies in South Cumbria.
“Legal highs are unknown, unregulated and uncontrolled substances which have not been tested for human consumption.
“They are a serious risk to anyone who takes them.”
Figures show deaths from now-banned substances, previously sold as legal highs in the UK, increased more than fourfold from nine a year in 2007 to 41 in 2011.
Among the killer drugs was GHB – which was linked to 77 deaths in that period, and a stimulant called BZP – similar to the dominant compound in ecstasy – which was linked to 21 deaths.
Drugs similar to and including meow meow, which was reclassified as a Class B drug in the UK in 2010, have caused 12 deaths in the past two years.
The government has outlawed a number of other substances, including Black Mamba – which has also been classified as a Class B drug, along with mephedrone and most recently Benzo Fury.
However, the chemicals that make up the drugs are continually being tweaked by chemists, often in Asia, to keep the products on the right side of the law.
Last year 73 new ‘”psychoactive” synthetic drugs, or so-called legal highs, appeared on the market and are readily available online and in shops retailing at around £10 per packet, with “stronger” substances costing anywhere from £15 to £20 for 0.5 grammes.
Legal highs are often sold with few restrictions in place to prevent youngsters buying them, and by labelling the highs as “not for human consumption” shop keepers are able to avoid prosecution.
With festival season in full flow Supt Pannone is urging young people and their parents to be well aware of the dangers legal highs can pose.
He said: “Legal highs are chemicals made by people, often in other continents, who do not care about what they are selling or the effect it will have on children and young people.
“They are dealers of drugs, and whether legal or otherwise, they are dangerous. Youngsters are travelling from Ulverston and further afield to buy legal highs in Barrow.
“Drug taking in the UK is changing and we are finding more and more young people are taking legal highs – or psychoactive substances as academics are calling them – as they believe they are unlikely to be taking something illegal and possibly they think there is little risk associated with them.
“However, a lot of ‘legal highs’ are in fact illegal substances and often are more dangerous than traditional drugs because no-one knows what’s in them.
“If help is required at the hospital the medical staff do not know how to treat the adverse effects from taking these substances.”
Analysis of some legal highs seized by Barrow police has revealed substances bought on the assumption they were legal in fact contained banned class B substances.
Supt Pannone said ignorance was not a defence for being found in possession of banned substances, and anyone found guilty in court could find themselves jailed for up to five years and given an unlimited fine.
Anyone caught supplying banned substances such as Black Mamba or Benzo Fury can be jailed for up to 14 years.
Insp Pannone added: “The message is simple – do not take any substance, be it a powder or tablet or anything else that you don’t know is safe. We want to protect young people from harm.”
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
IF you are concerned about legal highs or drugs you can contact Talk to Frank. Frank is a service for young people designed to offer free and confidential advice and help to anyone affected by drugs. You can visit www.talktofrank.com for lots of information and you can chat online to advisors from 2pm to 6pm each day, or phone 0800 77 66 00 free 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can text Frank on 82111 for a quick answer service or even email frank@talktofrank.co.uk for confidential advice.
http://www.in-cumbria.com/legal-highs-will-kill-a-child-this-year-top-cumbria-cop-1.1067445
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huffinglue
tryin to stay sober


Registered: 09/26/08
Posts: 450
Loc: Texas
Last seen: 9 years, 9 months
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Re: ‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop [Re: Simplepowa]
#18560019 - 07/15/13 12:08 AM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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Legal highs will kill A child this year???? Hahaha. What about alcohol, cigaretts, crossing the street, gun violence, cancer, domestic violence, violence in prisons, cops kicking in the wrong door...? Jesus, give me a break. One child dead a year is probably the SAFEST thing that could happen...
-------------------- I fucking hate grammer nazis! Yes, I can't spell. Yes, I don't have perfect grammer. I post from my phone and dont give a shit about people whose lifes are so boring they get off on putting people down for not having perfect fucking grammer, even though they know excactly what there saying.. Fuck You. It's just a ride mang...
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Terratic

Registered: 01/27/13
Posts: 155
Last seen: 2 months, 13 days
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Re: ‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop [Re: huffinglue]
#18560253 - 07/15/13 01:56 AM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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Demagoguery, yet again.
People would be much safer if regulations were instated. I think the rapid emergence of the "designer" psychoactives might put an end to all of this.
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HardScience
Stranger
Registered: 07/15/13
Posts: 1
Last seen: 10 years, 10 months
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Re: ‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop [Re: Terratic]
#18562157 - 07/15/13 02:00 PM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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Legal highs may kill a child this year, and lets not act like that`s okay. But real drugs have already killed more that one person this year, so skip the whole regulation of the substance through illegality and enforcement. Legal highs will always be around whether it`s psychedelics that have been deemed legal for religious practice (peyote, ayahuasca), prescription painkillers (T3, oxycontin), or slightly modified stimulants (bathsalts). It is easier to obtain legal or illegal drugs than buying a bottle of booze in some areas of the world. unfortunately, people who have the means and the gumption will always be able to buy drugs. In contrast, people who have the means, the gumption, but also the knowledge, can make an educated decision as to whether they want to ingest, smoke, inject, or insufalate the substances. Truly, it is not up to the government anymore as to whether they want to stop these deaths, because they are going to happen regardless. Make it less available, price goes up, then business expands. Not that I have experience with this or anything...
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Bawks
Sleepy z_z



Registered: 10/04/11
Posts: 707
Loc: 'Cid City
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: ‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop [Re: Terratic]
#18562185 - 07/15/13 02:06 PM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Legal highs will kill a child this year
-------------------- Savor the best and embrace the worst
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NWlight
Just look


Registered: 01/12/10
Posts: 18,686
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Re: ‘Legal highs will kill a child this year’ - top Cumbria cop [Re: Bawks]
#18562613 - 07/15/13 03:40 PM (10 years, 10 months ago) |
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wow I didn't know everyone here hates children.
guys, think of the children. the CHILDREN.
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