Drugs

Cannabis

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in Britain. Made from parts of the cannabis plant, it's a naturally occurring drug. It can give you a chilled out feeling or tiredness and can also be a mild hallucinogen meaning that you may see objects and reality in a distorted way and may even hallucinate).

The Law

Police will confiscate Cannabis if it is found on you. You can be arrested. What the police will do depends on how old you are and the circumstances involved.
If you're under 18, you'll get a reprimand and your parent or guardian will also be contacted. If you are blatantly smoking in public, you are more likely to be arrested by police.
If you're under 18, the second time you get caught you're likely to get a final warning and be referred to a Youth Offending Team.
Regardless of how old you are, if you're caught with cannabis for a third time it's likely you will be arrested.
The maximum penalty for possession is five years in prison plus an unlimited fine.

Legal Highs

Legal Highs are substances that are not currently controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and are therefore legal to possess. However under the Medicines Act most of these substances are ILLEGAL to sell, supply, or advertise for human consumption, as they have usually not undergone any testin to understand the specific risks on the human body and mind.

Just because they are legal to buy doesn't mean they are safe. In fact we tend to have more factual evidence on illegal drugs than legal highs. This means that some of the effects and risks of legal highs are not known and can be unpredictable.
Legal highs have not been scientifically tested and there can be specific effects that may lead to increased risk to any user – we only really understand these risk through science and research.
The Police will always view the drug as illegal unless proven otherwise. This will mean you could still be arrested and that there can be a record of this kept even if the test comes back that the drug is legal. Each case is different and the circumstances and what is said in interview have a bearing on what offence is committed, not just the fact that it is not a controlled drug.
Because they are legal does not mean that it is OK to use more or more often. The more you use and the more often you use the more likely it is you will have problems. Legal status has nothing to do with safety in terms of amount used.

Be aware that once you start a "trip" you cannot stop it. The immediate effects of some drugs can last for 8-10 hours. Longer term effects such as anxiety and paranoia can last for weeks. Be aware that taking some drugs may result in flashbacks weeks after taking them.

Dehydration can result from taking some drugs. Rehydrate slowly by slowly sipping water. Over rehydration can result in water intoxication.

How to stay Safe

Taking legal high drugs if you suffer from any mental health issue, including depression and anxiety can be damaging. Some drugs can start an episode of poor mental health or make any mental health problems worse.
Although many products available in Head Shops are advertised as "natural" or "herbal" highs, a large number are not purely herbal and contain other elements that can be damaging to human health.
It is advisable NOT to mix any legal high drug with either alcohol or any other substance. Mixing increases risk and the potential for problems. For example, mixing one drug with alcohol, users sometimes drink more than planned and may also repeat use of a drug as decision making gets effected. This can lead to problem behaviours, aggression, vulnerability, unplanned and regretted sex, significant intoxication leading to collapse and in some cases death.
The time it takes for a drug to take effect can vary. Taking another dose because you think the drug is not working can be dangerous and result in overdose or can trigger mental health problems.