Police and health professionals in Shetland are stepping up their fight to stop the growing use of so called ‘legal highs’ in the isles after drugs worth £40,000 were seized earlier this month.
Local area police commander Eddie Graham said the confiscation of the psychoactive substances (NPD) was the largest ever in Shetland.
So far two deaths in the islands have been linked to legal highs this year.
Police took possession of the drugs – which had been ordered from the internet and delivered to an address in Lerwick- during the first week in November. No one was charged.
Yesterday, local police and NHS Shetland joined forces to warn islanders of the dangers of the misuse of these psychoactive substances
Nurses working in the A&E department of the Lerwick’s Gilbert Bain Hospital said patients suffering from the effects of legal highs were difficult to treat.
“They are confused, anxious, with really sore heads and hallucinations as well as other symptoms, ” one nurse said.
“Because we don’t know what they have taken it can be difficult to treat the symptoms and we have to wait until the effects of the drugs have worn off naturally.”
Director of public health Dr Sarah Taylor added: “We are very concerned about the reported sale of legal highs and are aware of growing concerns among the local community.”
Legal highs are often cocktails of legal chemical substances that can produce similar effects as illegal drugs. They are legal to possess or to use, but that does not mean they are safe to use.
Chief Inspector Graham said they were highlighting the seizure of thousands of sachets labelled as EXODUS Herbal Incense as a way to alert and protect the public.
“The potential effects on taking NPS can be extremely detrimental to a person’s health.
“Physical side effects are known to include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and seizure. There have been reports of mental health issues including psychosis and paranoia.
“The involvement of NPS in drug related deaths are continues to increase. To put it bluntly, NPS can kill,” he said.