Legal high suppliers drastically reduce prices before blanket ban

Suppliers of legal high drugs are drastically reducing the prices of their products to increase sales before the government’s new blanket ban comes into effect.

Legal high drugs that produce the same kind of effects as illegal drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are being sold in bargain-size packs at hugely reduced prices ahead of the new legislation. Online suppliers are using names and packaging specifically designed to appeal to younger generations.

One online seller, Ice Headshop, is offering a 5g package of mixed legal highs for £79.99, which has been reduced from just under £115, while a 3g tester package has been reduced from £72.29 to £47.99. Other online retailers, such as researchchemicals.co.uk and researchchemist.co.uk, are offering similar deals, with the former offering a 20% discount on all legal highs and the latter offering 3g of some substances for £20.

The bargain deals have met with criticism from drugs charity the Angelus Foundation, which was founded following the death of a medical student who took a legal high in 2009.

Jeremy Sare, spokesman for the charity, said: “These retailers are focused on their profits, not what harm they are causing. We can see the forthcoming legal changes are already disrupting the market. Any change in the law is not going to be enough to safeguard young people. We need some firm plans from ministers on raising public awareness and helping schools educate our young people about the risk these legal substances pose.”