Nottinghamshire County Council is preparing for new drugs laws criminalising the production, distribution and sale of psychoactive substances set to come into force on Thursday.
The new laws will make it an offence to supply new psychoactive substances (NPS), often called ‘legal highs’, but possession of the substances will remain legal.
Last year, more than 900 packs of untested drugs were seized by the county council’s Trading Standards team with names including ‘Go-Caine’, ‘Herbal Haze’ and ‘Atomic Bomb’.
Psychoactive substances have been associated with seizures, kidney damage and death.
Nitrous Oxide, nicknamed laughing gas or nos, is one of the drugs that will be banned
Councillor Glynn Gilfoyle, Chairman of the Council’s Community Safety Committee, said: “We welcome news that this legislation is coming into force soon and are working with Nottinghamshire Police and other local community safety partners to prepare for the new legislation. We are also already using existing legislation currently in place to tackle the sale of NPS.
“We are concerned that people are putting their lives at risk by consuming these untested chemicals that unscrupulous traders continue to sell.”
The Council has formed a working group including the Trading Standards, Community Safety and Public Health team working alongside the Police, Health and voluntary organisations.
