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3 charts that show just how much legal highs took over Britain's prisons

The Psychoactive Substances Act is due to come into effect on 26 May, but sprialling use among prisoners raises concerns clampdown attempts are proving ineffectual

Sunday 22 May 2016 16:21 BST

There was concern over whether the legislation was enforceable (Getty Images)

A decade ago, legal highs were virtually unheard of.

From almost nothing in 2008, the substances, which mimic the effects of traditional drugs like ecstasy and cannabis, are now thought to have been taken by more than 650,000 15-24 year olds. Campaigners and police say the drugs are destroying lives and fuelling anti-social behaviour. According to the EU, nowhere in Europe is the problem quite so acute as it is in the UK.

On Thursday, a new law that will place a blanket ban on legal highs will come into effect. The legislation, part of the Pscychoactive Substances Act, has been criticised by many who say it will drive the drug underground and push users into the hands of drug dealers.

And one of the places that is increasingly being seen as emblematic of how large the problem has grown – and how much the Government has failed to get a grip – is inside Britain's prisons.

In recent weeks, prisoners, staff and experts have detailed how use of the drugs has soared, bringing chaos to an already struggling prison system.

In the last two years, 277 people have died inside British prisons and, of these, prisoners are “strongly suspected” to have taken legal highs in relation to at least 39 deaths. Substance abuse charity Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust, which supports prisoners coping with addiction, has warned that the number of prisoners reaching out to them for help has increased sevenfold recently, from 87 people between April and September 2014 to 622 people in the same period of the following year.

Last week, inmates at Oakwood prison reportedly brought a batch of the drugs into the prison via drone and were discovered when they suffered bad reactions and collapsed in their cells. The case reignited concerns that attempts to legislate and control the drugs are a losing battle in advance of the nationwide ban that comes into force next week.

The substances are expressly banned from jails but addicted prisoners have repeatedly found ways to secure access to them. Opportunities have been found in various security lapses ranging from audacious feats like Oakwood’s drone delivery to the less dramatic but common techniques of sneaking substances in during visits from friends and family.

Known as NPS (new psychoactive substances) the drugs mimic illegal highs such as cocaine and cannabis but use primarily legal materials while giving many of the same desired effects to avoid drugs legislation. However, many of the ‘legal highs’ also contain banned material, despite their name.

Some prisoners are believed to have died from poisoning after the combinations of substances in legal highs have proven a toxic cocktail. In others, the drugs have triggered psychotic episodes resulting in self-inflicted deaths.

Campaigners say the issue is exacerbated by worsening prison conditions which has seen overcrowding rise, staff levels decrease and violent attacks soar under Government reforms and funding cuts. Prisoner morale has reportedly dropped amid the worsening conditions and mental health problems are becoming increasingly common. There are also concerns that increasingly chaotic conditions provide more opportunities for prisoners to evade security and intercept banned substances.

Lord Charlie Falconer, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, told The Independent: “On David Cameron’s watch prisons have become dangerously overcrowded with rising levels of violence, serious assault on staff and now the surge in the use of legal highs. Until he tackles these key isses then his prison reforms are just tinkering around the edges from a divided Tory party, rather than the reform the prison system so sorely needs.”

A Prison Service spokesperson told The Independent: "We take a zero tolerance approach to contraband in our prisons and work closely with police and Crown Prosecution to prosecute those involved. We have already legislated to make smuggling New Psychoactive Substances into prison illegal and those caught trying to throw packages over prison walls can now face up to two years in jail. However, we need to do more, which is why we are investing £1.3 billion to transform the prison estate, to better support rehabilitation and tackle bullying, violence and drugs."

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Show all 10

1/10World's 10 deadliest street drugs

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Whoonga

Whoonga is a combination of antiretroviral drugs, used to treat HIV, and various cutting agents such as detergents and poisons. The drug is widely available in South Africa due to South Africa’s high rate of HIV sufferers, and is believed to be popular due to how cheap it is when compared to prescribed antiretrovirals. The drug is highly addictive and can cause major health issues such as internal bleeding, stomach ulcers and ultimately death

Getty

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Scopolamine

Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in the Northern Indian region of South America (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela). It is generally found in a refined powder form, but can also be found as a tea. The drug is more often used by criminals due its high toxicity level (one gram is believed to be able to kill up to 20 people) making it a strong poison. However, it is also believed that the drug is blown into the faces of unexpecting victims, later causing them to lose all sense of self-control and becoming incapable of forming memories during the time they are under the influence of the drug. This tactic has reportedly been used by gangs in Colombia where there have been reports of people using scopolamine as way to convince victims to rob their own homes

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Heroin

Founded in 1874 by C. R. Alder Wright, heroin is one of the world’s oldest drugs. Originally it was prescribed as a strong painkiller used to treat chronic pain and physical trauma. However in 1971 it was made illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Since then it has become one of the most destructive substances in the world, tearing apart communities and destroying families. The side effects of heroin include inflammation of the gums, cold sweats, a weak immune system, muscular weakness and insomnia. It can also damage blood vessels which can later cause gangrene if left untreated

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Crack cocaine

Crack cocaine first came about in the 1980’s when cocaine became a widespread commodity within the drug trafficking world. Originally cocaine would have attracted a high price tag due to its rarity and difficulty to produce, but once it became more widespread the price dropped significantly. This resulted in drug dealers forming their cocaine into rock like shapes by using baking soda as a way of distilling the powder down into rock form. People were doing this because it allowed for them to sell cocaine at a lower quantity and to a higher number of people. The side effects of crack cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, as well as permanent damage to blood vessels, which can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Crystal meth

Not just famous because of a certain Walter H White, but also because it is one of the most destructive drugs in the world. First developed in 1887, it became widely used during the Second World War when both sides would give it to their troops to keep them awake. It is also believed that the Japanese gave it to their Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war crystal meth was prescribed as a diet aid and remained legal until the 1970s. Since then it has fallen into the hands of Mexican gangs and has become a worldwide phenomenon, spreading throughout Europe and Asia. The effects of crystal meth are devastating. In the short-term users will become sleep depraved and anxious, and in the long-term it will cause their flesh to sink, as well as brain damage and damage of the blood vessels

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

AH-7921

AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid that was previously available to legally purchase online from vendors until it became a Class A in January 2015. The drug is believed to have 80% of the potency of morphine, and became known as the ‘legal heroin’. While there has only been one death related to AH-7921 in the UK, it is believed to be highly dangerous and capable of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Flakka

Flakka is a stimulant with a similar chemical make-up to the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. While the drug was originally marketed as a legal high alternative to ecstasy, the effects are significantly different. The user will feel an elevated heart rate, enhanced emotions, and, if enough is digested, strong hallucinations. The drug can cause permanent psychological damage due to it affecting the mood regulating neurons that keep the mind’s serotonin and dopamine in check, as well as possibly causing heart failure

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Bath salts

Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that is prevalent in the US. While they may sound harmless, they certainly aren’t the sort of salts you drop into a warm bath when having a relaxing night in, they are most similar to mephedrone, and have recently been featured throughout social media due to the ‘zombification’ of its. The name comes from the fact that the drug was originally sold online, and widely disguised as bath salts. The side effects include unusual psychiatric behaviour, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behaviour, as well as the possibility of a heart attack and an elevated body temperature

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Purple Drank

One of the more unusual drugs around at the moment, purple drank was popularised in 90s hip hop culture, with the likes of Jay Z and Big Moe all mentioning it in their songs. It is a concoction of soda water, sweets and cold medicine, and is drunk due to cold medicines high codeine content, which gives the user a woozy feeling. However it can also cause respiratory issues and heart failure

World's 10 deadliest street drugs

Krokodil

Krokodil is Russia’s secret addiction. It is believed that over one million Russians are addicted to the drug. Users of krokodil are attracted to the drug due to its low price; it is sold at £20 a gram while heroin is sold for £60. However, krokodil is considered more dangerous than heroin because it is often homemade, with ingredients including painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical make-up makes the drug highly dangerous and likely to cause gangrene, and eventually rotting of the flesh

A blanket ban on legal highs in the UK is due to come into force on 26 May. The Psychoactive Substances Act has been fiercely debated amid concerns that it will not be enforceable.

During debate over the proposed legislation in the House of Commons, some MPs voiced concerns that the legislation was rushed and poorly designed.

The Government has denied this and argued it has acted to protect the public at a time of unparalleled growth legal highs usage.

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