To younger people However they can still buy rat poison, laboratory ingredients, and any dubious crap disguised with a smiley type packaging as a "legal high" Therefore the emergency services can spend thousands of hours dealing with the violent zombies on the streets after imbibing this stuff, yet as far as I know they don't get called out to deal with violent users of "monster caffeine" Interesting...
The people you call Zombies are not violent. Caffeine is very harmful to young people. Try controlling a class where the kids have been on Energy Drinks at lunchtime. They go hyper.
Are you sure that you can buy “legal” highs in shops? Don’t think you can since they were criminalised a couple of years back. Seems like fairly sensible thing, kids don’t know the damage huge levels of caffeine can do.
The UK Psychoactive Substances Act came into effect on the 26 May 2016, which banned NPS. This legislation makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, import or export (including over the internet) any psychoactive substances. Possession of a psychoactive substance is not an offence, except in a ‘custodial institution’ such as a prison or young offenders institution. Products such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, food and medicinal products are exempt from the Act. The Home Office has also said that “Poppers” or alkyl nitrates do not fall under the Act. Therefore there is plenty of scope to flout the legislation without selling them from a shop (now illegal)
Energy drinks, monster especially, leads to anxiety problems for a start. These kids who are addicted to the stuff are going down a damaging path. I know as i used to buy those shitty 35p cans every day at college when i was 17-18. Led to loads of problems. Glad theyve taken action
I’ve never drank gasoline but I imagine it doesn’t taste too far from those energy drinks. I’ve had my fair share of monster though.
You miss my point, if the government can't control the supply of debilitating drugs, be it legal highs or whatever, why are they thinking that a "ban" will solve the Red Bull problem? And although you're right in that shops have closed, these things are readily available on the net. I know, I have a family member who had major issues recently with this stuff. I'm just highlighting the effort apparently being put into banning these drinks to younger people, and the lack of real effort into stopping something I think of as much more harmful. I have never seen someone hallucinating and trying to bite anyone near him after a can of Red Bull Though you may know differently
Think your facts are somewhat out of date. The government was way too slow to legislate on legal highs, but they are so out of touch it is hardly surprising. By the time they acted many people were hooked on drugs far more addictive than heroin & cocaine. Once that happened it was picked up by dealers & the dark web & the horse had bolted. As far as energy drinks, I think the proposed legislation is also badly thought through in terms of whether they are being banned for caffeine or sugar content. Lots of drinks have a lot more sugar than the ones being banned, so if obesity is the issue then that is a load of crap. Coffee & tea have a lot more caffeine in, so that makes little sense either. No one is going to ban under 18's buying tea bags surely? Responsible parents have for years been discouraging kids from getting a taste for sugary drinks (which were previously heavily marketed to very young kids). **** parents don't give a toss. Educating people is better than banning things as a rule. I think your violent zombie thing is also a bit OTT. I live in Headingley / Hyde Park / Meanwood. There are more druggies here than anywhere other than Bristol, Central London, Brighton & Manchester. No one has ever threatened me, or anyone in my social circle & I keep some pretty odd times. I'm not saying there aren't a few, but more addicts are victims of violent assaults than perpetrators.
I once assessed someone who was saying he was anxious all the time and he couldn't understand why... I spotted he was drinking a big pint sized can of monster energy drink and I asked him how many he drinks, "oh I've had 3 or 4 this morning already"... it was like 11am or something. Think that might be the problem pal People just don't understand the effect caffeine has on the autonomous nervous system. A few coffees a day is fine, but when you're into double figures it's more than likely going to make you feel as though you're anxious.
John Peachy I agree with the majority of what you've said, however each person has their own experiences and that clouds their viewpoint. I understand that. I and my wife have been accosted in an aggressive manner twice in the underpass between Donny Road and the Alhambra Centre in the last 6 months, one of them very frightening indeed, on a matchday about 1.30pm There are plenty of threads around "spice" and the effects of that, no idea what this lad was on but it wasn't pleasant and he was VERY threatening though incoherent Yes they are victims, but then we become the victims, the normal hard working population and that's not acceptable. Have I or anyone on here got an answer? Don't think so but a large publicity stunt about energy drinks is masking the real problem
Yep. I have a couple of strong ones in the morning to get me going. During the week I'm running my agency from home, so normally start work about 15 minutes after getting up. I normally post a load of crap on here first & on FB & by which time i'm ready to deal with the paying public, venues & DJs. After that it's water & herbal tea, before hitting the booze at the end of the day. ( A very bad habit).
Yes, the energy drink thing is bull. I'm not saying there isn't an issue with sugar & maybe caffeine & my drug of choice, alcohol. Obviously such an experience is terrible. I don't condone any type of violence. Sadly the police are overstretched & underfunded, but do respond to violent crime. I hope that you reported it. I was DJing to the north of York a just under 3 weeks ago & there was a massive fight & a knife was produced. 6 police vans were on site & the main protagonist is facing a bunch of charges that should see him going down for 3-4 years. The guy was an alcoholic. Alcohol (my drug of choice & totally legal to anyone over 18) causes more problems than any banned substances. No government will ever ban it though, as too many of us are hooked & that is the truth.
Can't disagree with any of that, John Peachey, I'm just pretty certain that alcohol was not a factor in our confrontation, alcohol is my drug of choice too, just as tobacco was many years ago, there are many who have fallen victim to these substances, I just think every now and again the powers that be pick on something to publicise, like energy drinks, rather than focus on the poor wretches in the clutches of addiction and dealers
It is currently 4 years? Is another year gonna make that much difference? I agree it needs to be stamped down on. It's hard to keep out of circulation, because kitchen knives are everywhere. More regulation in city centres would be a very good thing. https://www.gov.uk/buying-carrying-knives
The problem is that's the maximum sentence but is only dished out in a tiny minority of cases. It should be a mandatory sentence no ifs or buts.
Agree too. This is all about a bit of useless positive spin for a wretched government. They are going to put carrier bags up to 10p too. They could ban recyclable plastic packaging in say the next 2 years. That woulds be a real policy, but they don't "do" real policies.