Drug Information
At LANDED, when we talk about Drugs we are talking about both legal and illegal substances. We recognise there are lots of different types of drugs, probably way too many for us to cover on this one page. What we have done is cover the drugs that we know young people may be using in Lanarkshire. It is important to recognise that there is no safe way to take drugs.
​
You will learn a good bit about drugs and their harms from this page and how to keep yourself a little safer. But, we would encourage you to look into substances a bit more before taking anything. This isn't a how-to guide or a bible for drug-taking as everyone reacts differently to drugs every time they take them. Your experiences may well be different to your friends.
Young people have reported to us that these are some of the reasons why they might use drugs:
Why do people use drugs?
to fit in
boredom
to forget
calm down
experiment
to feel better
to escape
relieve stress
to feel relaxed
curiosity
change mood
fun
How do drugs work?
At LANDED, we recognise that there are many different categories of drugs. However, we find from our experience of working with young people, these are the three main categories of drugs we refer to.
​
A drug is placed into a specific category based on the effects that it has on your body and mind.
​
You can read more about the different drug categories below:
Uppers can make you feel:
-
Energetic
-
Alert
-
Talkative
-
Fast heartbeat
-
Quick breathing
-
No appetite
-
Paranoia
Stimulants
(uppers)
cocaine
nicotine
poppers
MDMA
ecstasy
mephedrone
steroids
speed
caffeine
NPS
Depressants can make you feel:
-
Relaxed
-
Down
-
Chilled out
-
Slow heartbeat
-
Slurred speech
-
Paranoia
Depressants
(downers)
alcohol
valium
GHB
solvents
heroin
morphine
NPS
Halllucinogens can make you feel:
-
Altered sense of time
-
Mood swings
-
Out of body experience
-
Hallucinations
-
Distorted reality
-
Paranoia
Hallucinogens
cannabis
magic mushrooms
ketamine
peyote
PCP
NPS
acid
DMT
Just So You Know - Drug Information Cards
These drug information cards were developed to give you a better understanding of drugs, their effects and harm reduction information relating to them.
They can be ordered from our online store if you would like physical versions of them for your organisation.
​
You can read more about the different drugs below:
New Psychoactive Substances Act 2016
New Psychoactive Substances -often known as legal highs are synthetic substances created to mimic the effects of existing illegal drugs.
​
Legal highs were created in order to get around the law, but in May 2016 The Law changed, and a ban placed on all New Psychoactive Substances making them illegal to give away or sell.
​
Possession
There is no penalty for possessing synthetic cannabis unless you are in prison.
​
Supply
Up to 7 years in prison.
​
Production
Up to 7 years in prison.
​
Driving Offences
Like any drug, if you are caught driving under the influence of drugs you could receive a heavy fine, driving ban, or prison sentence. Not to mention it is extremely dangerous to yourself and other road users.
​
NPS comes in the form of powders, pills, herbs, and capsules. They can be snorted, ingested, smoked and injected.
The effects of NPS on the body can be dangerous and unpredictable. Like all drugs, there is no guarantee of the quality and the content of the drug - you never really know what you are getting.
​
For more information on NPS visit the Talk To Frank website.
Drugs and The Law
The legal classification of drugs is set by The Government and is outlined in The Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) Many people think that this legislation is out of date, they argue that this needs to change and we should have updated and more relevant drug laws in the UK.
​
You may have heard the terms 'Class A', 'Class B' and 'Class C' when people talk about drugs. Drugs are put into these three categories depending on how harmful they appear to be to society and the individual.
Have a look at the image below to see what drugs fit into what class and the legal penalties you can face for posession, supply or production of these drugs.
Possession - You are caught with a small amount of the drug on you for personal use.
​
Supply / Dealing - You have a large amount of the drug and there is evidence to suggest you are selling it. This could be bags, scales, a burner phone or a tick list. Supply also covers things like picking up/ dropping off drugs for your pals, passing a joint to your mate or sharing a bag of cocaine, we may think we are being helpful sharing our drugs but in the eyes of the law, this could still be considered as supply.
​
Production - You are growing or producing the drug and there is sufficient evidence to suggest this. This could be pots, soil, lights, seeds (cannabis production), a pill press (ecstasy production), cutting agents (general drugs production).
​
Your penalty will depend on:
-
the class and quantity of drug
-
where you and the drugs were found
-
your personal history (previous crimes, including any previous drug offences)
Poly Drug Use
What is it?
Mixing drugs or taking more than one drug at a time is known as poly drug use.
​
Why do people mix drugs?
Can heighten both the positive and negative effects of the drugs.
Often people use more than one drug to counteract the negative effects of each other.
​
What risks are involved?
Using more than one drug at a time could increase the risk of overdose and other negative effects.
Below we have a list of the most commonly mixed drugs and some harm reduction information​
Drug Combos
We have put a list of the top 5 most mixed drugs in Lanarkshire below, with some information about the risks and harm reduction tips.
Further Information
Have a look at the links below for further reading and information.
TALK TO FRANK - https://www.talktofrank.com/
ADDACTION - https://www.addaction.org.uk/
DRUGS METER - https://drugsmeter.com/
DRUG SCOPE - http://www.drugscope.org.uk/
PHOENIX FUTURES - https://www.phoenix-futures.org.uk/
KNOW THE SCORE - https://knowthescore.info/
CREW - https://www.crew.scot/
SCOTTISH DRUGS FORUM - http://www.sdf.org.uk/
DRUG SCIENCE - https://drugscience.org.uk/
NHS LANARKSHIRE - https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/drug-advice/
CHOICES FOR LIFE - https://young.scot/campaigns/national/choices-for-life
CHOOSE LIFE - http://www.chooselife.net/
COCAINE ANONYMOUS - https://www.cascotland.org.uk/