Legal affairs minister adds support to proposals for combating legal highs

Mr Wheelhouse said he would meet UK crime prevention minister Lynne Featherstone MP to talk about legal controls for legal highs, or new psychoactive substances (NPS), as they are also known, in Scotland.

He was speaking as findings of an expert review group were published that recommend the Scottish government look at the regime in Ireland where psychoactive drugs are banned.

Currently, the restriction and classification of drugs is reserved to Westminster.

The legal affairs minister said he accepted all of the review’s recommendations.

He said: “There is a specific recommendation for new legislation to be introduced.

“I recognise and acknowledge the potential role of the UK Government in securing new arrangements to bring NPS under legal control.

“The Home Office have been helpful and co-operative in the work of the expert group and I will be meeting my counterpart Lynne Featherstone MP to press on her supporting us to bring these substances under legal control in Scotland.

“I am encouraged that the expert review concluded that there were a range of existing powers that can be used to tackle the sale and supply of NPS and that these can be made more effective.

“The practical work to progress these operational matters will now begin.

“I’m also clear on my commitment to ensure new legislation is brought forward as quickly as possible to put these substances where they belong, subject to criminal proceedings.

“As has been echoed in this chamber many times, the term legal high has been regarded as a misleading and unhelpful term.

“I hope that the chamber will support the findings of the report published today making the question of the legality of these substances very clear, identifying the harms they cause and putting, where appropriate, those who seek to sell them in the knowledge of the harms they cause behind bars rather than behind the shop counters in our high streets.”

Mr Wheelhouse also added his support to the group’s recommendations for more research into legal highs and for continued work on a legal definition of the substances.