With pressure on the Home Office over recent incidents involving
mephodrones the SNP Deputy Leader at Westminster, Stewart Hosie MP,
said that legislation should be brought before the House of Commons as
soon as possible to ban 'legal high' drugs such as forms of mephedrone,
also known as 'bubbles'.

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick, who last month raised the issue of
the so-called ‘legal highs’ at Holyrood, has written to the Home Office
asking why no legislation had been brought forward and asked what
advice the UK Home Secretary had received from the Drugs Advisory
Panel. With recent resignations Mr FitzPatrick was concerned its work
could have been delayed.

The two Dundee representatives have
particular concern since incidents in a Dundee nightclub in November
when five young people suffered non-fatal overdoses after taking
mephedrone.

The Scottish Government's Minister for Community
Safety, Fergus Ewing, has already called on the Home Office for
mephedrone to be added to the list of illegal drugs and said he would
work with the Home Office to convince them of the need for legislation.

Commenting Stewart Hosie said:

"We need to send out the message that this drug is dangerous and that you could die if you take it.

"However,
some young people may be under the delusion that it is harmless because
it is not illegal. This is clearly not the case. Apart from these
recent tragic deaths, it has many side effects including convulsions
and breathing problems.

"I think the Home Secretary's
declaration that he did not want to be 'premature' in re-classifying
mephedrone is foolish. Reclassification is overdue and it should be
banned before any more deaths occur."

Dundee West MSP Joe FitzPatrick said:

"Although
the responsibility for regulation lies with Westminster, we have been
very proactive in Scotland on raising awareness of the dangers of the
so-called legal highs and have led the call for banning the mephedrones.

“From
the initial incidents in  Dundee back in November last year, I have
believed that they should fall under the Misuse of Drugs Act and was
glad that the Minister for Community Safety responded quickly and
agreed to work with the UK Government to this end.

“However
questions do arise from what advice the Home Secretary has received
from the Drugs Advisory Panel about this drug. With recent resignations
from the committee I hope that it is not the case that there have been
delays in its deliberations.”