More Support For Legal High Addicts In Leicester

28 September 2015, 06:18 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A new shop has opened in Leicester to help support legal high users to stop using them.

A new alternative 'Head Shop' has opened it's doors in Leicester - instead of selling legal highs it's offering things like massages and yoga as a way of helping addicts.

Organisers of the 'Head Shop' told Capital their research found people were using the legal highs as a way of getting over addiction to Class-A drugs like heroin and cocaine. 

One former user told us that he thought because they were "legal", they'd be safer than other drugs.

Luke said that every drug he'd taken he'd done for a reason - like taking heroin to beat insomnia. However, he turned to legal highs to get over using class A and B substances, and once ended up in hospital. 

Now, the organisers of the Head Shop in Nelson Street say that those effects like stress-relief and wellbeing can be achieved by using alternative therapies like acupuncture, massages and yoga.

Lauren Stewart, Engagement Manager at Leicestershire's Criminal Justice Drugs Team, organised the Alternative Head Space shop:

This week, they're heading to freshers' fairs at Leicester and De Montfort Unis to talk to students about the dangers - and the importance of knowing what you're taking. 

In one case, Leicestershie Police found traces of PETROL in a sample of legal highs. PC Matt Rowland told Capital that students were putting their health as well as their courses at risk by taking the drugs - even though at the moment they are still legal.

The Government are massively increasing regulation on legal highs or "psychoactive substances" with a new bill that goes before the House of Commons later this year.