This is Bristol -- POLICE have launched a crackdown on the sale of 'legal highs' in shops in Bristol. Officers from the force's expert drug team have been taking part in a national week of action – organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) - to target Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) across the force area. Officers visited shops in Bristol to challenge traders and raise awareness of the dangers of NPS. Many of the products have been proven to contain dangerous and illegal drugs and in some cases products were seized for further laboratory testing. Officers were joined by Trading Standards for the visits to ensure consumer protection laws were not being broken and to remind proprietors of their legal responsibilities when selling such products. Seven shops were targeted across the Bristol, Taunton, Glastonbury and Bridgwater areas. Drugs Strategy Manager Paul Bunt said: "Many NPS we have seized have turned out to be controlled substances or they contain chemicals that have never been tested on humans and can cause serious injury or even death. "We are committed to preventing illegal and dangerous substances being sold to members of the public, anyone who buys NPS is playing roulette with their health. "We have had a very positive response from shop owners this week and will continue to work with them and our local neighbourhood teams to raise awareness on this subject." NPS are often sold as plant food, bath crystals or research chemicals and are sometimes labelled 'not fit for human consumption.' These substances often have product names similar to the street drugs they mimic and are often linked to serious and organised crime.
Reported by This is 1 hour ago.
This is Bristol -- POLICE have launched a crackdown on the sale of 'legal highs' in shops in Bristol. Officers from the force's expert drug team have been taking part in a national week of action – organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) - to target Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) across the force area. Officers visited shops in Bristol to challenge traders and raise awareness of the dangers of NPS. Many of the products have been proven to contain dangerous and illegal drugs and in some cases products were seized for further laboratory testing. Officers were joined by Trading Standards for the visits to ensure consumer protection laws were not being broken and to remind proprietors of their legal responsibilities when selling such products. Seven shops were targeted across the Bristol, Taunton, Glastonbury and Bridgwater areas. Drugs Strategy Manager Paul Bunt said: "Many NPS we have seized have turned out to be controlled substances or they contain chemicals that have never been tested on humans and can cause serious injury or even death. "We are committed to preventing illegal and dangerous substances being sold to members of the public, anyone who buys NPS is playing roulette with their health. "We have had a very positive response from shop owners this week and will continue to work with them and our local neighbourhood teams to raise awareness on this subject." NPS are often sold as plant food, bath crystals or research chemicals and are sometimes labelled 'not fit for human consumption.' These substances often have product names similar to the street drugs they mimic and are often linked to serious and organised crime.
Reported by This is 1 hour ago.