These are all the things Theresa May's legal highs bill could accidentally ban indy100 indy100 Indy100 logoNewsletter sign upRegister/Sign inTop 100NewsViralPoliticsCelebritiesScience & TechVideoWishlistWishlistBooksFashion & BeautyFood & DrinkHome & GardenKidsSports & FitnessTechTravel & OutdoorsMoreScience & techVideoConversationsSportIdentitiesLifestyleShowbizTVSearchxNews
These are all the things Theresa May' s legal highs bill could accidentally ban
Louis DorJun 04, 2015 The Psychoactive Substances Bill 2015 is home secretary Theresa May's attempt to introduce a blanket ban on legal highs. But soon after it’s introduction in the House of Lords, it dawned on people that it could cover, well, just about anything that has an effect upon the brain. The bill states that it will: Make it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, import or export psychoactive substances; that is, any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect. A psychoactive substance is defined under the bill as one that “if, by stimulating or depressing the person’s central nervous system, it affects the person’s mental functioning or emotional state". Given that this criteria could include items such as petrol or caffeine, and that the bill calls for a maximum sentence of seven years in jail, a rethink may be needed. The bill itself concedes this and proposes a list of exempted substances, including tobacco and coffee. However this list still does not include a number of other substances used daily. We asked two experts to help point out just how many other holes the legislation has. Solvents
There is already an industry group that looks at solvent misuse and there are very strict laws that prevent the selling of solvent-based products to children under the age of 16. Dr Adam Winstock of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, told i100.co.uk: There’s a whole group of solvents, whether it’s butane lighter fluid, paint thinners, petrol, paint, marker pens or glues – all of those things we know, when inhaled, can cause a significant altered state including confusion, delirium and hallucinations: absolutely they are psychoactive. They are also some of the most commonly-used and first-used drugs by young people. Certainly a decade ago and I don’t know if it’s still the case, solvents were the most likely cause of death in 15-year-old boys, and so I don’t know how you’re suddenly going to regulate and ban petrol paint thinners, any sort of industrial solvent and a whole bunch of marker pens and other equipment.Keep reading...Show less Chilling political ad shows what it' s like when abortion is illegal
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