Brussels, 17/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Thursday 17 April, the European Parliament approves new rules to withdraw from the market dangerous psychoactive substances, known as legal highs. The idea behind these new rules is to ban these substances for the public, whilst not preventing their use for industrial or commercial purposes.
These provisions aim to stop the rapid spread of new psychoactive substances for recreational purposes, which imitate the effects of illegal narcotics such as ecstasy and cocaine. These legal highs are extremely popular among young people.
Ban to be brought in within 10 months. The timeframe for assessing and banning from the EU market these harmful substances will be brought down from two years currently to ten months. In the event of an immediate risk, a temporary one-year ban can be brought in, in the space of just a few weeks. This temporary ban would make it possible to ensure that the substance is no longer available for recreational purposes, whilst the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs carries out a full assessment of the risks.
Substances presenting considerable risks would be subjected to permanent sales restrictions in order to protect consumers and the commercial markets. Their use would be authorised only for scientific purposes (medicines, chemical or high-technology industries). Substances carrying serious risks would be punishable under criminal law. Any offences involving these substances committed by criminal organisations would be punishable by a minimum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.
Substances with medium risks at EU level would be banned from the consumer market, but could be the subject of commercial and industrial trade. If any of these substances poses greater risks in one member state than any other, that state could “maintain or adopt stricter measures in order to ensure a high level of public health protection”. No restrictions will be imposed for new psychoactive substances with low risks to health. The Parliament voted at first reading on the text, which will be carried over to the next Parliament. The text on the new psychoactive substances was adopted by 507 votes in favour, 37 against and 33 abstentions. The text on the sanctions was adopted by 504 votes in favour, 36 against and 36 abstentions. (LC)