Some 14 European countries have already introduced controls on the sale of the products, while Ireland, Cyprus and Slovakia are still at the stage of “considering control measures”.
The report has concluded that 24 new so-called legal highs emerged last year, the highest number since monitoring began five years ago. It also found organised crime gangs have become involved in trafficking mephedrone. The chemical is contained in white powder head shop products that mimic cocaine and is widely available in more than 70 Irish head shops.
Mephedrone has been confirmed as being linked to at least one death in Sweden and has also been linked to a number of fatalities in Britain. The Control of New Psychoactive Substances report was published yesterday by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and European police agency Europol.
The report notes that 2009 and the first months of 2010 were marked by “significant new developments” in the illegal high and head shop sector across Europe.
“A distinct feature of the ‘legal highs’ phenomenon is the speed at which the suppliers circumvent drug controls by offering unregulated alternatives that target specific groups of recreational drug users,” the report says.
Of 24 new products last year, nine were synthetic cannabinoids. These mimic cannabis and are often sold under the “spice” product range.
The report says of these products: “Above all, their actual composition in terms of synthetic additives is dynamically changing and rapidly responding to the newly implemented control measures [in some countries].”
It also notes new packaging is constantly appearing, meaning the effort to monitor everything on the market for risk appraisal is a constant challenge.
The sale of some products as bath salts, incense and plant food labelled as not being suitable for human consumption is aiding those manufacturing and selling the products to circumvent controls.
However, some products labelled as “plant food” were being offered for sale on websites also offering drugs paraphernalia.
The report suggests the pace of the changing chemical make-up of the products necessitates a more proactive approach by the authorities across Europe if an effective detection system is to emerge.
Fine Gael’s spokesman on community affairs Michael Ring TD said the number of products to emerge last year was more than twice the level seen in the previous year.
“Ireland is waiting for EU approval to ban some of the most dangerous substances, while other countries just went ahead and did it. I am not convinced this delay is necessary.”
Legal highs: latest trends
OF THE 24 new legal highs identified by European countries last year, nine were synthetic cannabinoids. These chemicals are sold in smokable head shop products, and mimic the effects of cannabis.
A further five new products comprised phenethylamines. These are stimulants that give the user a high similar to those of illicit amphetamines.
Four of the 24 new products to emerge last year were synthetic cathinones. Cathinone is a naturally occurring stimulant found in the khat plant and gives a similar euphoric high to that of ecstasy.
Two of the new products were tryptamines, or psychedelic drugs. The remaining new products were found to be based on drugs with medicinal purposes.
The 24 new legal highs join a large range of snorting powders, smokables and so-called “party pill” products that have been on sale in head shops for many years.
Gardaí have expressed concern at the growth in sale of the substances, but say any of the products recently taken from Irish head shops and analysed were found to comply with current drugs legislation.
However, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has said that if the products were banned, any head shop owner who continued to sell them would be pursued with the same vigour as gangland criminals were.
Source: Conor Lally, The Irish Times, 24/04/2010
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