Year 7 Legal High Workshop at Bridlington School
Posted on: 11-02-2018
As part of Bridlington School’s ongoing commitment to PSHCE and Fundamental British Values education, Year 7 were involved in a workshop run by a lottery funded charity called REAL (Resilience building Education & Advice for Legal Highs).
The fully trained charity workers employed by REAL helped students understand the myths, realities and risks involved with this ever growing threat to young people.
One Student commented “it was very good and very interesting how legal highs are much stronger than other drugs and not weaker as I would’ve thought”.
Another also commented “That the session was very interesting as she didn’t realise what people were getting into with legal highs”​...
Local MP Diana Johnson visits REAL
Hull MP Diana Johnson visits the service to discuss the issue of legal
​ highs and the need for specific, preventative education work  ​

Supporting Young People & Communities

​Education resources donated by the charity to students at Wilberforce college to support a peer led awareness event.

​After attending a workshop by the charity, event co-organiser Emma said....
“REAL recently came into the college to speak to Health and Social Care
classes about the effects of legal highs. I found it very
interesting as before the session I believed legal highs were
'safer' than other illegal drugs however, this is not the case”

“ I think there is a huge amount of my peers who
​believe what I did- that legal highs are 'safer' to use”
Picture4U Poster
4U Poster Campaign
Written in text speak, 4U is the creative work of a young REAL recovery champion and the focus of a safety initiative in partnership with local schools, colleges & community organisations

​A high profile campaign highlighting the dangers of legal highs can help safeguard ​​the well-being of young people

To request your free 4U poster contact:
gethelp.real@yahoo.co.uk

Psychoactive Substance Act - May 2016


A substance produces a psychoactive effect in a person if, by stimulating or depressing the person’s central nervous system, it affects the person’s mental functioning or emotional state.
 
It is now "an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, possess on custodial premises, import or export psychoactive substances. The maximum sentence will be 7 years’ imprisonment."

What is supply? 
​Supply of a legal high is as simple as passing it from one person to another, no money needs to change hands.
​
​What is importation?
​Buying a psychoactive substance from a non-UK based website, which may lead to prosecution. 

Possession: Possession of a psychoactive substance will not be an offence, except in a ‘custodial institution’ (prison, young offender centre, removal centre etc.), as the government did not want it to lead to the mass criminalisation of young people. Possession with intent to supply, importing or exporting a psychoactive substance will all become offences. 

Supply and production: The Act is intended to act against shops and websites supplying ’legal highs’. The Act is quite specific in that the onus is on the sellers and producers of a substance to ensure it is not ‘likely’ to be consumed for its psychoactive effects.

Powers of stop and search: Police will have powers of stopping and searching individuals and premises, however possession of psychoactive substances will not be an offence and which substances are actually psychoactive is far from legally clear at present.4 Currently the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidance states that a ‘legal high’ should be treated like a controlled drug until proven otherwise. There will presumably be further ACPO guidance issued before the Acts is in force.

Premises and Prohibition notices: Within the Act there are quite detailed powers given to the police and local authorities for dealing with the licensees (owners etc.) of shops and UK-based websites, and penalties for failure to comply with notices issued under this section of the Act.
​
Definition of psychoactive: “any substance which (a) is capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person who consumes it, and (b) is not an exempted substance”

Exemptions: Nicotine, alcohol and caffeine will be exempt from being classed as psychoactive substances. Medicinal products as defined by the Human Medicines Regulations (2012) and drugs already controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971), will also be exempt. Further exemptions can be made by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the ACMD.

In the News

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Reports

gethelp.real@yahoo.co.uk