Guernsey makes legal high drugs illegal
A tightening of drug law on the island of Guernsey has resulted in a blanket ban on legal highs.
The new drug law, which came into effect on 1st December 2014, means that it is now illegal for any person to import a substance that has been designed for recreational drug use. Substances classed as medicines remain unaffected by the new law, but healthcare professionals are advising that prescriptions are kept with such medication.
A spokesperson for the Guernsey Border Agency, Peter Knee, said: “Previously, the law focused on the importation of commercial quantities or importation for commercial purposes. It is now effectively illegal to import any substance designed for the purposes of recreational drug use, regardless of quantity and regardless whether it is for commercial purposes or personal use. The amendments will make it illegal to import any substance that is designed to get you high.”
As well as banning legal highs, some substances have been reclassified or have received a classification. Such substances include tramadol, ketamine, and NBOMe, which is relatively new to the market and can cause hallucinations similar to that of LSD. NBOMe is now classified as a class A drug because of its extremely powerful hallucinogenic ingredients: in addition, users can experience high blood pressure, aggression, anxiety, seizures and increased heart rate.
Andrea Nightingale from the Misuse of Drugs Advisory Group says that the new Guernsey law mirrors amendments made within the UK.