26 Aug 2016
Significant reduction in retailers stocking psychoactive substances
Since the psychoactive substances act was introduced 3 months ago, forces across the country have been using new powers to significantly reduce the number of retailers and head shops stocking these substances.
The Psychoactive Substances Act has provided officers with the powers needed to disrupt the supply and availability of these potentially harmful drugs. Proactive enforcement by forces, working with Trading Standards, has resulted in 308 retailers no longer selling these substances, 24 headshops closing down and 186 arrests.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Psychoactive Substances, Commander Simon Bray said:
“The significant reduction in the number of headshops and retailers stocking psychoactive substances in just three months demonstrates the hard work of officers across the country in getting these harmful drugs off the market.
“It is still early days but the police enforcement approach combined with education and support services for users is helping to reduce the damage that misuse of these substances can cause in communities.”
Contact information
Communications office
By phone: 0800 538 5058
By email: press.office@npcc.police.uk
