Outlawing drugs once known as ‘legal highs’ led to waves of violence, self-harm and suicide in prisons, according to a study released today by the University of Sussex.
Despite being made illegal in 2016 New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) remain widely available behind bars, including Spice, a highly potent synthetic drug linked to unpredictable behaviour, stimulants such as mephedrone and the ketamine-like psychedelic methoxetamine. Today’s analysis of Ministry of Justice (MoJ) records from all prisons in England and Wales reveals major unintended consequences to the ban. The study found that while it reduced NPS availability, with an average fall of 32 per cent, outlawing the drugs also led to a surge in violence. There was a 38% rise in serious assaults, with 164 additional incidents in the four months immediately following the law change. The analysis found no reduction in the volume or severity of violence over the long term.
Prison records also...
