Meeting of the Parliament 06 February 2014
That is absolutely correct. There will always be other substances in these products. They might not be active but we do not know that, and because we have no control over them, we have absolutely no idea of what else is in there as well as the active substance.
Synthetic cannabinoids, for example, are functionally similar to the controlled cannabis derivatives, and their side effects can include cardiovascular problems and psychological disorders; some might lead to seizures and irregular heartbeat, and some might be carcinogenic.
Cathinone is a derivative of the khat plant, and it is sometimes called meow meow. I used to wonder why, but I know now. It has a similar effect to amphetamines, but little is known about the mechanism of its action, and its side effects can include agitation ranging from mild to extreme psychosis. It is often marketed as bath salts or plant food.
Ketamine, which has been around since the 1980s, is used as a tranquiliser for horses. If anyone has ever seen a half-tonne horse go down after having taken ketamine, they can imagine what it does to a human being. It can also affect long-term memory.
There are a number of variations on mescaline, which is powerfully hallucinogenic, and some of them can have very long-lasting effects. They can cause agitation, seizures, and liver and renal failure.
Piperazines were developed initially as antidepressants but were later found to have similar properties to amphetamines. They were taken off the market because they were liable to abuse, but they are still being sold as pep or party pills and they have similar effects to amphetamine and methamphetamine.
There are also plant-based substances. People might think that something that is herbal or a plant is okay, but as we know a number of plant-based compounds can contain a cocktail of toxic alkaloids that can have extremely serious psychological and physical effects.
We are debating the issue in the shadow of a terrible event that took place at the weekend when a young woman tragically died after taking a particular type of product. That product—if it is the one that it is thought to be—might have contained para-methoxyamphetamine, which is five times as powerful as ecstasy; as we know, many people have been hospitalised through taking that.
The message that went out before was about the danger of illicit drugs, and the message that needs to go out now is that the so-called legal drugs are just as physically and psychologically dangerous as the illicit drugs that they have been designed to emulate. The user does not know what else they might contain and what dangers are presented by those compounds.
I was very pleased to hear from the minister about the steps that the Scottish Government is taking to spread the message that these are not benign, legal substances. They are hard core and physically and psychologically dangerous, and that message has to go out. Young people who might be tempted to take these substances need to understand the dangers that they might encounter in doing so.
I move amendment S4M-08950.1, to insert at end:
“and promoting public understanding of the dangers of NPS”.
15:28Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.