Plans to ban 'legal high' drugs
- 00:00:40
- ITN
Plans to ban 'legal high' drugs
The Government will reclasiffy three 'legal highs' by the end of the year. The drugs, GBL, BZP and synthetic cannabinoids have already been banned in many countries, but they are easily available on the Internet and in some cases at health stores. GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone) is a chemical solvent which is converted in the stomach into the Class C drug GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) which is nicknamed "liquid ecstasy". The Home Office are to classify it as a Class C drug. Synthetic cannabinoids, like the brand Spice, will become a Class B drug, the same classification as cannabis. BZP (Benzylpiperazine) will be classified Class C. GBL has already been banned for personal use in several countries including the United States, Canada and Sweden but its industrial use as a paint stripper means it is widely available on the Internet and even in some health food shops for reportedly as little as 50 pence a dose. The death of student Hester Stewart, 21, in April this year prompted calls for GBL to be outlawed which were led by her family. Miss Stewart, a medical student, died after she consumed the drug. The Government's drug adviser called for Spice to be banned earlier this month, saying it was created using dangerous chemicals although sold as a "natural" high. BZP (Benzylpiperazine) is used to worm animals and as a fertiliser but has become popular for recreational use as it can have a similar effect to amphetamine. Some websites have marketed it as legal ecstasy and sell it for as little as £1 a tablet but it has already been banned in countries including America, Australia and Japan.
ITN | August 25, 2009
