Prison officers concerned over inmates’ legal highs use

Prison officers have expressed concern over the increasing levels of legal highs being brought into the country’s jails.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) has warned that inmates are putting prison officers in danger as a result of the use of legal highs. They are concerned that it is only a matter of time before a prison officer or prisoner is killed.

Glyn Travis, a POA official, said: “We are experiencing an epidemic of legal high use inside. I would estimate between 30% and 40% of the drug seizures in prisons are the many varieties of legal highs. Some have the same effects as class A drugs like cocaine. I fear a serious assault or the death of a staff member or prisoner.”

There have been reports from the Ministry of Justice stating numerous seizures of legal high drugs every week from prisons. It is claimed that they are smuggled into the prisons by dealers throwing packages over the walls.

Prison officers have been told to be on the lookout for spice, which is a synthetic cannabis, and BOM, which can cause hallucinations similar to those experienced by LSD users. These drugs, and others, have been reported to be found at Wealstun prison in West Yorkshire, Wayland prison in Norfolk, and Guys Marsh prison in Dorset.

Prisons are operating a zero-tolerance policy towards the drugs, which are also known as new psychoactive substances or NPS, and will soon have the legal right to test prisoners for legal highs.