A TRIP around so-called "head shops" in Nottingham reveals how easy it can be to buy legal high drugs. The Post managed to obtain a selection from the shops, which sell drug-related paraphernalia.
Substances included Gogaine, sold as "research chemical powder".
Although the packaging clearly states 'Not for Human Consumption', the shop assistant at a store, which cannot be named for legal reasons, gave the chemical as an example of legal highs, but emphasised it was only a "bath salt".
Another "head shop" visited by the Post sold a small tube of the herb Salvia Divinorum, which, it has been reported, creates an LSD-like effect when smoked. The herb's active ingredient has been described as "the most powerful mind-altering substance in nature".
However, when asking the shopkeeper how to take the drug, he insisted it ought to be burnt, later admitting that giving different instructions could "get him into trouble". These drugs may be classed as legal, but how safe are they? For Neil Brooks, team leader of Radford-based drugs support service Chill Out Sound Support, the answer is clear. He said: "People tend to think if it's legal, it's safe. But they should be warned, this is not the right approach."
Mr Brooks added: "Even when a substance is sold as legal it may not, in fact, be legal. People should refrain from taking any kind of substances, but if they have to, they should make sure they know exactly what they are taking."
