Council crack down on legal high shops

COUNCIL officials have been given a green-light to confiscate legal highs from so-called ‘head shops’.
Councillor Cammy Day and Colin Baxter, Licensing and Trading Standards Manger.Councillor Cammy Day and Colin Baxter, Licensing and Trading Standards Manger.
Councillor Cammy Day and Colin Baxter, Licensing and Trading Standards Manger.

Trading Standards officers in the Capital are the first in Scotland to be granted Forfeiture Orders from the Sheriff Court declaring NPS products – known as “legal highs” - as unsafe.

Officers, supported by Police Scotland, have used the orders to target 13 stores in the Capital which were known to sell them.

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Eight of these stores have now voluntarily handed over their stock of NPS to Trading Standards. These products, which have a retail value of up to £50,000, will now be destroyed.

Councillor Cammy Day, the council’s community safety leader, said: “This is a hugely important step in our bid to get rid of so-called legal highs.

“There is overwhelming evidence that they have a devastating effect on individuals as well as communities, and we are grateful that the Sheriff Court agreed with the evidence that we presented to back this up.

“The granting of these Orders has confirmed our suspicions that these products are dangerous, and as such, Trading Standards’ Officers now have the power to seize these potentially lethal substances from those who sell them.

“This is not just good news for Edinburgh, but Scotland as a whole. We will continue to work closely with Police Scotland to tackle the damage done by drugs, and NPS in particular, so that the health and well-being of citizens is protected.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Williams said: “We’re supporting our colleagues in Trading Standards to prevent the distribution of NPS in the capital and protect people from substances that are not safe.

“Edinburgh is the first local authority area in Scotland to have been granted an NPS Forfeiture Order. We have made it clear to a number of premises that if they do not comply with this order they can expect to face further action, including prosecution.”