Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe

Dyfed Powys Police is supporting an all-Wales campaign warning teenagers of the dangers of using New Psychoactive Substances (NPS).

The Force is working with the other Welsh police forces via the All-Wales School Liaison Core Programme and Welsh Government.

The new campaign is delivering the message ‘Just because it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s safe’ to parents and young people.

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are drugs made to copy the effects of illegal drugs, also known as ‘legal highs’.

A new key stage 3 lesson‘New and Nasty’, which focuses on informing pupils about the harmful effects of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), is being offered in secondary schools throughout Dyfed Powys and the rest of Wales.

To support the lesson, the All-Wales School Liaison Core Programme has launched a series of posters highlighting the dangers of using NPS.

Some of the messages include:

• You can’t be sure if it’s legal – it may contain illegal drugs
• You don’t know what you are taking
• You have no idea what the effects will be
• You have no idea what is in a New Psychoactive Substance
• You can’t be certain it’s safe to take
• You don’t know how your body will react to a New Psychoactive Substance

Wales’ Deputy Health Minister, Vaughan Gething said: “I’m very pleased to support this new awareness campaign. We take the issue of people taking new psychoactive substances – so-called legal highs – very seriously. We’re supporting a range of initiatives to raise awareness, including DAN 24/7, our bilingual substance misuse helpline.

“We have ensured that the All-Wales Schools Liaison Core Programme, which operates in all primary and secondary schools across Wales, is regularly updated to include specific lessons about new psychoactive substances because of their potential impact on children and young people.

“I have been supportive of the UK Government’s proposal to introduce a blanket ban on new psychoactive substances. However, banning these substances will not work in isolation –  we have introduced a number of actions to educate, raise awareness and improve our ability to respond to the emergence of new psychoactive substances.”

Bethan James, School Liaison Coordinator for Dyfed Powys, said: “New Psychoactive Substances pose a serious threat to the health and safety of people in our communities. We want to send out the clearest possible message that these substances can be dangerous to people’s health – even fatal. It is vital that young people are given accurate information so they can make informed choices.”

Show your support for the campaign by downloading our campaign board and taking a picture of yourself using the hashtags #NPSAware and #SSNHysbys and posting it on Twitter.

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New Psychoactive Substances

1. New psychoactive substances (NPS) are drugs that have been synthesised to mimic the effects of illegal drugs. These substances have been designed to evade drug laws, are widely available via the high street and the internet, and have the potential to pose serious risks to public health and safety.
2. NPS are sold as “legal highs”, often under a variety of brand names, at a relatively low cost to the purchaser when compared to illegal drugs.
3. There is no way of telling how NPS will affect you. They can stop you sleeping, leave you exhausted and depressed later on. It is known that NPS can reduce inhibitions, cause drowsiness or anxiety attacks, paranoia or even psychotic illness. More drastically, they can cause comas, seizures and death.
4. New Psychoactive Substances can come in the tablet, powder or liquid form.

All Wales School Liaison Core Programme

1. The All Wales School Liaison Core Programme (AWSLCP) is a unique crime prevention programme jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the four Welsh Police Forces that has been in existence since 2004.
2. School Community Police Officers (SCPOs) deliver lessons to five to sixteen year olds across Wales.
3. In the school year 2014/15, our School Community Police Officers achieved 100% access to schools across Wales.