Psychoactive Substances Act on Drugs and Society The government implemented the Psychoactive Substances Act in 2016 to curb the influx of new and legal drugs into the UK.
What problems are there with this legislation and what alternative(s) do you suggest the government might use to deal with potential problems associated with Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS)? The last decade has seen a rapid increase of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). In Europe alone, 100 new substances were notified to the EU Early Warning System in 2015 (101 in 2014 and 98 in 2013). Manufacturers are formulating new chemicals faster than legislation can catch up, and as soon as one substance is banned, another substance with similar effects appears in its place. NPS that were not covered by UK legislation (Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or Human Medicines Regulations 2012) were sold by online and offline retailers, such as ‘headshops’.
