edgarshade
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The Law’s cyber drug war. Is it time to hold peace talks with internet suppliers of ‘legal highs’?
Independent
Dr Jonathan Hurlow
Thursday 1 November 2012
With reader comments
More...Most people over 25 might be forgiven for not knowing what ‘Meow Meow’, Spice and Kratom are.
They’re three of hundreds of known ‘psychoactive substances’, or highs, available for consumption. Meow Meow is one brand of a synthetic stimulant drug formally known as mephedrone. Spice, a brand of synthetic cannabinoids. Kratom, a naturally growing hallucinogenic plant found in Southeast Asia, which no one seems to be worrying too much about in the tabloids.
What these three and many other drugs have in common is that your 15-year-old son or daughter could acquire them online with a few clicks on their iPhone. Within days a small package could be sent from China, pass through the UK Border Forces’ grasps and reach your child for their Friday night.
Whilst the Misuse of Drugs Act has curtailed use of both mephedrone and many synthetic cannabinoids, it appears that this motivates internet suppliers to research, develop and market any number of other uncontrolled alternative psychoactive substances instead.
Bearing in mind the hundreds-strong pool of substitutes, there’s ample wriggle room.
This challenge has not been ignored by regulatory government bodies.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...nternet-suppliers-of-legal-highs-8274077.html