MPs accused of putting lives at risk over legal high inaction

Health experts have accused MPs of failing to make the banning of legal highs a high enough priority, despite the majority of people wanting urgent action to be taken.

As a result, MPs are being urged to make legislation banning legal highs part of their election manifestos. This is because the May election will precede a slew of summer music festivals where legal high drugs are expected to be available, thereby putting thousands of youngsters in danger.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), said that MPs had reacted too slowly to the threat of legal highs, despite 77% of the population calling for legislation to be implemented urgently.

Ms Cramer explained: “Particularly at this time of the year, with the election fast approaching, a ban on legal highs is not included in the manifestos and we believe that would really be something the public would welcome.”

She also complained about the packaging of legal highs, claiming that brand names such as Go-Caine, Mary Jane and White Stuff encouraged the idea that the taking of drugs was a normal practice. She also claimed that the ‘not for human consumption’ label was just a “fig leaf” that protected the irresponsibility of the manufacturers.

The government is currently putting together proposals for banning the sale of legal highs; however, specific legislation has yet to appear. In an effort to protect festival-goers, MPs have written to festival organisers to ask them to implement their own bans.