Highly dangerous legal highs

„Legal highs“ pose significant health risks

20/11/2014

So-called „Legal highs“ are increasingly common as supposedly harmless intoxicants. These substances, which are declared as bath salts or herbal mixtures, can be readily obtained on the Internet, reports the news agency „dpa“. However, sometimes they pose a considerable risk to their health. In recent years, adolescents have had to suffer from severe circulatory and mental disorders after consuming „Legal highs“ to be treated in the hospital. For some, consumption even ended fatally.

The health risks of „Legal highs“ are difficult to estimate in view of the enormous range of substances used. However, it is certain that serious health problems may occur. Because „behind the innocent names hide unpredictable psychoactive drugs. You risk your head and neck“, quotes the „dpa“ the statement of the Göppinger psychiatrist Leo Hermle at a trade event on Wednesday in Stuttgart. The low inhibition at acquisition and the downplaying description of the effect as „relaxing“ or „stimulating sexual stimulation“ cause the „Legal highs“ also for young people are becoming increasingly attractive, warn the experts.

„Legal highs“ are like Russian roulette
The „Legal highs“ According to the opinion of the speakers at the symposium in Stuttgart, they are sometimes highly dangerous for health. Although health effects are not expected to occur immediately in each of these substance combinations, individual products can cause serious damage to health. Consumption of „Legal highs“ be a little like „Russian roulette“, is the addiction policy expert of the Baden-Württemberg Greens, Josha Frey, from the news agency „dpa“ cited. Here the policy must act quickly to restrict the distribution of the products. It applies as quickly as possible to close the loopholes, which so far allow the legal distribution of supposedly harmless intoxicants. This opinion is also the Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Interior Reinhold Gall (SPD), so the announcement of the „dpa“. Gall has spoken of an increasing problem, which is further exacerbated by the low inhibitions for acquisition and consumption, reports the news agency.

Prohibition of substance difficult to implement
So far, there is the „Legal highs“ The problem is that with a change in the Narcotics Act, although new prohibitions for certain drugs can be pronounced, the producers but then change their substance combination marginally and continue to legally sell away. The problem with the prohibition of „Legal highs“ In addition, by the judgment of the European Court of Justice of July 2014 to the so-called new psychoactive substances (NPS), reports the „dpa“ citing the Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Interior. Thus the court decided that the „Legal highs“ are not to be assessed as medicinal products and therefore are not subject to authorization or other provisions of the Medicines Act. Here, a declaration as a drug is already excluded by the fact that the packaging is noted: „Not suitable for human consumption“, reports the „dpa“ citing the Göppinger psychiatrist Leo Hermle.

Threatening damage to the heart attack
Federal Minister of Justice Heiko Maas (SPD) has already been invited, according to Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Gall, by the Ministers of Justice, to work out new rules in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Health „dangerous criminal liability gap“ to close, so the message of „dpa“. For example, it is possible to ban whole groups of substances. On the threat of damage to health explains the psychiatrist Hermle, that in the synthetically produced variants of cannabis and amphetamines in addition to mental discomfort and physical impairments can occur, ranging to stroke or heart attack. Not infrequently, the consumption also makes physically and mentally dependent. The impact on both consumers and distributors remains difficult to assess „Legal highs“. Because the exact composition of the substances is not known to them in the rule.

Deaths due to consumption of „Legal highs“
What fatal consequences the „Legal highs“ may be due to the remarks of the news agency „dpa“ to the recent deaths clearly. Thus, in the southwest between 2011 and early 2014, nine deaths due „Legal highs“ to be recorded. The Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Interior also expects a significant number of unreported cases. Altogether, according to information of the Federal Ministry of Health since 2010 nationwide 20 deaths after the consumption of substances were registered, about 500 humans had to be medically supplied for heavy poisonings, reports the „dpa“. In the counseling centers of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the trend was towards the „Legal highs“ also detectable, explains the news agency, citing the referent of the State Agency for Addiction, Christa Niemeier, on. „We suspect that Legal highscontribute to the increased need for advice in the field of cannabinoids“, becomes the expert of the „dpa“ cited. Overall, the increasing prevalence of supposedly harmless intoxicants is considered to be extremely critical, especially since no further deaths have been recorded in connection with consumption of banned substances such as cannabis. The legal classification allowed at the „Legal highs“ simply no conclusions on their dangerousness, which is why according to the experts urgently a new regulation is required. (Fp)