LEGISLATION ON MEPHEDRONES IS AN IMPERATIVE SAY SNP

LEGISLATION ON MEPHEDRONES IS AN IMPERATIVE SAY SNP

WHAT ADVICE DID HOME SECRETARY RECEIVE FROM DRUGS ADVISORY PANEL?

With pressure on the Home Office over recent incidents involving mephodrones the SNP Deputy Leader at Westminster, Stewart Hosie MP, said that legislation should be brought before the House of Commons as soon as possible to ban 'legal high' drugs such as forms of mephedrone, also known as 'bubbles'.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick, who last month raised the issue of the so-called ‘legal highs’ at Holyrood, has written to the Home Office asking why no legislation had been brought forward and asked what advice the UK Home Secretary had received from the Drugs Advisory Panel. With recent resignations Mr FitzPatrick was concerned its work could have been delayed.

The two Dundee representatives have particular concern since incidents in a Dundee nightclub in November when five young people suffered non-fatal overdoses after taking mephedrone.

The Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety, Fergus Ewing, has already called on the Home Office for mephedrone to be added to the list of illegal drugs and said he would work with the Home Office to convince them of the need for legislation.

Commenting Stewart Hosie said:

"We need to send out the message that this drug is dangerous and that you could die if you take it.

"However, some young people may be under the delusion that it is harmless because it is not illegal. This is clearly not the case. Apart from these recent tragic deaths, it has many side effects including convulsions and breathing problems.

"I think the Home Secretary's declaration that he did not want to be 'premature' in re-classifying mephedrone is foolish. Reclassification is overdue and it should be banned before any more deaths occur."

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said:

"Although the responsibility for regulation lies with Westminster, we have been very proactive in Scotland on raising awareness of the dangers of the so-called legal highs and have led the call for banning the mephedrones.

“From the initial incidents in Dundee back in November last year, I have believed that they should fall under the Misuse of Drugs Act and was glad that the Minister for Community Safety responded quickly and agreed to work with the UK Government to this end.

“However questions do arise from what advice the Home Secretary has received from the Drugs Advisory Panel about this drug. With recent resignations from the committee I hope that it is not the case that there have been delays in its deliberations.”