The Island’s Drug Advice Service & Helpline charity (DASH) is advising anyone who is currently using synthetic Cannabis, often sold as Herbal Incense to get in touch and get informed. The drug, marketed under various names such as Spice, Black Mamba and various other appealing names can be bought both online and from friends and are marketed in such a way to give the impression that they are a safer alternative to Cannabis and are in some way benign.

Shelly Stanley, Director at DASH said, ‘Synthetic Cannabis is not a like for like substitute for Cannabis yet young people in our community believe the hype and the increased number of calls for help have increased by 500% on last year already and it’s only November. Cannabis on a young developing brain is bad enough and we see those consequences of dependency, educational exclusion and behavioural problems on a regular basis. But I have to say, this substance is particularly nasty and the trend in its use is worrying. Sold locally under various names such as Chemical, Incense and we suspect being sold as cannabis in some instances, a number of individuals have ended up in hospital or with severe mental health problems. Globally it has been responsible for a number of deaths.

Based on the people we have seen and spoken to, the numbers involved in both this and Legal Highs in general (pills and powders sold to mimic illegal drugs such as cocaine and Ecstasy) have to be in the hundreds by now. This is not a small issue of having a quick toke on a joint or trying a tablet as part of experimenting, this is having a big impact.

Miss Stanley said, ‘DASH not only deal with adults and children calling their telephone helpline, but queries from other services, supporting family members, particularly parents whose children have been using the drug; but also provide long term help to those who want to stop. Thanks to funding from Manx Lottery Trust, Microgaming and Pokerstars we have been providing this service plus a number of PSHE lessons and assemblies in schools and Youth Clubs and have more planned for the New Year.

Staff have also been going out with detached youth workers and giving talks in the community to try and get the message out there that the dangers are very real with legal highs.

Miss Stanley said, ‘Users of the various brands of synthetic cannabis are reporting long lasting hallucinations (particularly very dangerous with drivers) and heart palpitations. Dependency seems to develop quite quickly compared to that of Cannabis. In the end, it’s not recreational use but binge-use, similar to that seen with alcohol and affects their ability to attend school or work. Those vulnerable to mental health problems are experiencing severe mental health problems.’

‘The truth is no one knows what the short or long term effects of these substances will be, but we are aware of those ending up in hospital or mental health services because of them. They haven’t been round long enough for research on human use so even dealing with some of the symptoms presenting makes it difficult to assess when the individual doesn’t know what they have taken themselves.

‘It is so important for parents to talk to their children about the dangers of all drugs. They are a part of the world that our children and we inhabit and we are being naive if we think they will not come across someone who uses drugs, friends who may offer them something to try or have a parent with a problem. Even if you do know you child is smoking cannabis and despite your best efforts to help them seek help, you still need to talk to them about what they may be offered and the risks.

If anyone needs advice on how to discuss drugs or alcohol issues we are more than happy to provide sessions for them as a family. We have a stock of information booklets for parents about Legal Highs and other drugs which they can be sent out, they just need to call our confidential helpline on 615622 or email info@drugs.org.im.

If you would like to support the work of DASH in the community you can donate at www.drugs.org.im or to help with fundraising call 615622.