Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, Anne-Marie Cockburn and Maryon Stewart were all left shocked and grief stricken when their children died after taking drugs. But they all have something else in common too. They are campaigning and agitating to make sure other parents do not have to…
Tag Archive for New Psychoactive Substances
Druglink article 2014 – 2009: New psychoactive substances – Mephedrone: the future of drug dealing by Mike Power
Every so often the drug scene goes through paradigm shifts. Usually these are heralded by the arrival of a new drug or a new version of an established drug. So in the 1980s, it was smokeable heroin and cocaine, while…
No longer novel: Addaction NPS conference 15th March 2016
March 21st 2016 Speakers rattle the cage of the Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) By Harry Shapiro The conference was timed for the run-up to the enactment of the PSA originally due to come into force on 6th April. However according…
Spice
Please see the page on Synthetic Cannabinoids
Criminal justice – drugs
The costs of tackling drug harms in prisons In April 2025, approximately 40,000 people in prisons in England and Wales (50%) had an identified drug problem. Misuse of illicit drugs by people in prison creates or exacerbates risks to their…
New psychoactive substances
Designer drugs, legal highs, NPS, novel psychoactive substances, research chemicals What are New Psychoactive Substances? New psychoactive substances (NPS) are drugs which were designed to replicate the effects of illegal substances like cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy whilst remaining legal – hence…
Naphyrone
Please note that the information on this page (and other DrugSearch pages) is being updated What is Naphyrone? Naphyrone, a white crystalline powder often sold under brand names like NRG-1 and Energy1, is a stimulant drug with effects similar to…
MPA
What is MPA? MPA (Methiopropamine), a new psychoactive substance (NPS), is a stimulant drug, sold on its own or within a range of branded products. History MPA was originally discovered in 1942. It is an analogue of methamphetamine (crystal meth).…
Legal highs
What are Legal highs? Legal highs is a commonly used, but inaccurate term, describing a range of synthetic drugs that have come onto the drug scene since 2008/09. From May 26th 2016 ‘legal highs’ became controlled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016…
BZP
A2, Frenzy, Nemesis, piperazines What is BZP? BZP (Benzylpiperazine) is a synthetic stimulant derived from piperazine It is often seen as an alternative to ecstasy or amphetamine, although usually considered to be less potent than these drugs. BZP is sold…