Legal Highs Officially Banned in the UK, But Is It Already Too Late? (#2/115)

Spice, Mamba, Annihilation. You may have heard of these legal highs and some of the devastating effects they have had on teens and young adults all over the UK. 

This week a blanket ban on psychoactive substances has been implemented.The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 makes the production, importation and supply of these drugs now illegal. Those found ordering such substances online can also be prosecuted under the act. This new act covers all substances which have the ability to affect the central nervous system.

The law comes just after Greater Manchester police reported the arrest of two men who supplied both legal and illegal drugs to the people of Rochdale. The legal high 'Clockwork Orange' sold by the pair to a group of teenagers, led to nine people falling ill and needing medical attention, with another hospitalised in intensive care after going into cardiac arrest. 

Unfortunately, this is not the first instance where legal highs have led to the illness and hospitalisation of abusers. 

Last April, 17-year-old Adam Owens died from what his family believed to be the fault of  legal highs. After abusing legal highs for three years, Adam was found after a party lying unconscious outside a housing estate having taken psychoactive drugs. He was pronounced dead shortly after being admitted to Belfast hospital. His mother has reached out to the press to educate youngsters of the dangers of these legal highs.

Too Late?

2014 saw 82 deaths from the use of legal highs and reports show the death toll is currently over 400 and continuing to increase. 
Too many lives have already been lost to these psychoactive substances but whether this new law will really reduce the amount of legal substance abusers is yet unknown. The main concern is that the ban on selling the substances on the high street will lead to its sale and production underground, giving the black market more control on the substances and their contents. 

Former police commander Lord Paddick, explained that he believed the legislation will "create more criminal offences" and lead to "more deaths."

However, Home Office minister Karen Bradley is adamant that the ban will send a "clear message" that legal highs "are not legal, they are not safe and we will not allow them to be sold in this country".

If you or anyone you know is suffering from an addiction to such substances don't hesitate to contact FRANK online or call 0300 123 6600.

Spanking Children Creates Mental Health, Decreases IQ and Affects A Child's Trust

“To hit a child with the hand, usually several times on the bottom as a punishment,” this is more commonly known as spanking.  It has become more socially unacceptable to lay a hand on a child however what happens behind closed doors is leading to almost 7,000 children needing protection from physical abuse.

The subject of spanking has become much of a public debate after comments from US senator and presidential candidate Ted Cruz stated that voters will spank Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State for supposedly lying about the Benghazi scandal that took place in 2012, just like he spanks his five-year-old daughter when she lies.

Spanking can be identified as a form of corporal punishment, which the British legal system views as an outdated form of discipline.  However, the legal regulations in the British legal system are more of a grey area than strictly implemented rules. Sweden was the first country to outrightly outlaw physical punishment of children in 1979.  Now more than 30 countries have banned corporal punishment, however with influential members of US state publically supporting spanking, mixed messages of morality are being sent out to not only parents but to children.

However, Elizabeth Gershoff a professor at The University of Texas who is known to be the leading researcher on spanking currently within the US has studied the form of discipline for the last 15 years and concluded "there's no study that I've ever done that's found a positive consequence of spanking." A study conducted by Gershoff based on research collated over two decades confirmed children that are spanked are more likely to display anxiety, depression, aggression and drug abuse.  

In fact, numerous studies have established the extremely damaging effects spanking has on a child. The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario conducted a study which evidence suggests such corporal punishment causes ‘cognitive impairment and long-term developmental difficulties,’ therefore decreasing a child’s IQ.

But not only do children suffer from developmental difficulties, mental  health is a significant consequence children face from being spanked by their parents. Darcia Narvaez Professor of Psychology studying the immense effects spanking has on children. A child’s relationship with their parent Is effected immeasurably by striking a child. Taking to physical abuse to punish a child not only undermines the trust a child has for their parent and thus means they mistrust trust others and their motives but it has proven to destroy a child’s mental health and therefore leading to an increase in criminal behaviour. From a young age children are easily influenced and look to their parents for guidance on how to behaviour in social setting, and parents physically punishing their children are not a positive example at all.

Despite these study results being openly published, a poll carried out by Parents.com found that 56% of parents admit to occasionally spanking their children.  Neo-Traditionalist, Domenick Maglio has outrageous view on the subject of spanking. “Outlawing any spanking because some parents could possibly harm their child also means we should make it illegal for parents to kiss their children as that might lead to incest.” It is these outdated views that are preventing the elimination of spanking and child abuse.  

Parents may begin by spanking their children as a form of discipline; however, this has the ability to lead to further more brutal forms of punishment. Collette Elliot experienced extreme abuse as a child and now as a parent herself, recalls the detrimental affects her treatment had on her even 20 years on.

“As a child I had to deal with three kinds of abuse  – physical, mental and sexual.  Of the three it was the mental abuse that was worst, because it has stayed with me. My life has been designed around the mental torture I endured.”

But whose responsibility is it to monitor the treatment of children in and out the home? Absolutely everyone’s. Charities such as the NSPCC provide helplines that offer support for those worried about a children and can offer information about child protection.

If you believe a child to be in immediate danger contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or call 999 for police assistance.