The world of legal highs is a complex and often dangerous landscape. Marketed online under innocent-sounding names like “bath salts” or “plant food,” these substances exploit legal loopholes to be sold for human consumption, despite not being officially approved. The legality itself is a shifting and confusing territory, with substances rapidly changing status and composition. Adding to the danger, drugs sold under the same names can contain vastly different active ingredients.
Mike Power, author of “Drugs 2.0: The Web Revolution That’s Changing How the World Gets High,” highlights the treacherous nature of this market: “The legal highs market is flooded with scammers and people selling legal and illegal drugs. The more new drugs are banned, the more new drugs are invented. It’s like a game of Whack-a-Mole.” This constant innovation, Power explains, stems from global drug labs modifying existing illegal drugs like ketamine by adding molecules. This simple alteration can render the new variant legal, at least temporarily, in places like the UK. “The innovation is constant and the chemistry is infinite. It’s so beyond the knowledge of any normal police officer or politician, I pity them having to deal with it,” he states. Power suggests a pragmatic solution: “The simple answer would be to legalise the safer drugs and people wouldn’t be looking for alternatives.”
Harry Shapiro from the charity DrugScope echoes the urgent need for caution. Consumers should never assume “legal highs” are genuinely legal or, crucially, safer than illegal drugs. “Don’t be taken in by the marketing,” Shapiro warns. “However these products are marketed – whether as legal or safe alternatives to cannabis and ecstasy – treat them with utmost caution. Don’t assume they are any safer or less risky than any of the other drugs that have been on the streets for years.”
The vast category of “legal highs,” or “new psychoactive substances,” can be broadly categorized into three main families. Synthetic cannabinoids, mimicking cannabis, and stimulants like mephedrone, designed as ecstasy substitutes, are the most prevalent. A third, smaller group encompasses psychedelic or hallucinogenic substances.
‘Spice’ is a widely known example of a synthetic cannabinoid. Photograph: Boris Roessler
Synthetic Cannabinoids: The Imitation Game
Common names/brands: Spice, Black Mamba, Annihilation, Amsterdam Gold, Bombay Blue Extreme, X, Karma
These substances are designed to mimic the effects of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the primary psychoactive component in cannabis. Typically sold as “herbal smoking mixtures,” they are often deceptively marketed.
Take “Annihilation,” for example, sold as “herbal incense” in packets adorned with a mushroom cloud image. The Frank drugs advice website reports concerning anecdotal evidence regarding AM2201, a synthetic cannabinoid frequently found in Annihilation and Black Mamba. Reported effects include a dangerously increased heart rate, panic attacks, and even convulsions, highlighting the unpredictable and severe risks.
While many synthetic cannabinoids have been classified as class B drugs, the legal landscape remains murky for users. It’s often impossible to discern which brands are legal and which are not, and crucially, the composition of these products can vary wildly even within the same brand name, making dosage and effects incredibly unpredictable.
Mephedrone: The Club Drug with a Shadow
Common names/brands: M-Cat, Miaow miaow, MC, Bubble, White Magic, Bounce, 4-MMC
Mephedrone, a stimulant, has become a dominant force in the UK’s recreational drug scene, even after being outlawed several years ago. Harry Shapiro of DrugScope notes its widespread use: “It’s quite common as a club and street drug and is used by people with traditional heroin or crack problems as well.”
Often compared to ecstasy and cocaine in its effects, mephedrone can induce euphoria and talkativeness, but also anxiety and nausea. Like traditional stimulants, it carries the risk of overstimulating the nervous system and heart. The Frank website reported six deaths linked to mephedrone in England and Wales in 2010, underscoring its dangers.
Although mephedrone is now a class B drug, similar substances and brands may still be legally available. “Bubble,” for instance, remains prevalent in the north-west of England, but its content is notoriously inconsistent, exemplifying the risks inherent in unregulated “legal highs.”
2-DPMP: The “Bath Salt” Stimulant
Common names/brands: D2PM, Ivory Wave, Purple Wave, Vanilla Sky
Typically sold as “bath salts,” 2-DPMP (2-diphenylmethylpyrrolidine), also known as desoxypipradrol, is a potent stimulant with amphetamine-like effects. Its use has been linked to “prolonged agitation” that can last for days in some individuals.
Like many “new” and previously legal highs, research into the long-term consequences of 2-DPMP use is severely limited. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommended its prohibition in 2011 due to growing concerns about its harmful effects.
In June of the previous year to the original article, 2-DPMP and related compounds like D2PM and Diphenylmethylpyrrolidine were classified as class B drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act, reflecting the ongoing efforts to control these dangerous substances.
APB or Benzo Fury: Ecstasy Mimics with Hidden Dangers
APB compounds, such as 5-APB and 6-APB, are stimulants found in “Benzo Fury,” a product marketed as a legal high. However, analysis of Benzo Fury purchased online has revealed a disturbing inconsistency: some samples contained the expected 5-APB or 6-APB, while others contained entirely different active substances.
Benzo Fury is considered an ecstasy-type drug, related to MDA and with similar effects and risks. Tragically, media reports linked its consumption to the death of a 19-year-old at the Rockness festival in Scotland in the summer prior to the original publication.
While 5-APB/6-APB itself may not be a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, drug charities consistently warn that the perceived legality of such substances offers no guarantee of safety. Consumers can never be certain of the true contents of these “legal highs,” or whether they contain illegal and potentially lethal compounds. The ever-shifting legal status and unpredictable composition of these substances make them a dangerous gamble. It’s crucial to prioritize your health and well-being by avoiding these unregulated and potentially harmful drugs. If you are struggling with substance use, resources are available to help; seeking professional guidance is a vital step towards safety and recovery.
