The sale of super-strength legal highs such as Spice and Clockwork Orange - said to be as addictive as crack cocaine and heroin - is believed to have led to a rise in young people on the streets of Camden.
The number of young rough sleepers in Camden Town and King’s Cross has soared in the last two years because of the trade in dangerous synthetic drugs sold as ‘extreme herbal incense’, the Ham&High can reveal.
Although marketed as ‘Not for human consumption’, experts warn the new generation of chemical highs are so strong they can prompt psychotic episodes and the fall-out is placing increased strain on health services.
Ian Bangay, of Camden Council’s Safer Streets team, which works with street sleepers, said: “We noticed in the spring of 2014 that we were seeing a lot more people rough sleeping who were younger than average.
“We hadn’t noticed them before and they were here because of the legal high situation.”
The new generation of drugs, known as synthetic cannaboids, are made in factories and cost as little as £5 to buy. They produce similar effects to illegal drugs but are stronger and can cause severe anxiety, paranoia and confusion.
Young people who are vulnerable to becoming rough sleepers, such as children in care or teenagers living in abusive households, are thought to end up on the streets more quickly as they are exposed to legal highs.
The substances are so addictive that even hardened heroin addicts can end up hooked, outreach workers say.
“I’ve seen people who are long-term Class A drug users, crack and heroin intravenous drug users, coming off and using these legal highs,” said Mr Bangay.
“That’s how strong these things are. They are very dangerous things indeed.”
The number of rough sleepers in Camden topped 600 for the first time in five years in 2015, as revealed by the Ham&High last week, and legal highs are said to be a key factor in the rise.
The extreme adverse reactions they can cause are also understood to be affecting health services.
“It is placing strain on the NHS,” said Mr Bangay. “There are many instances of people having psychotic episodes as a result of these things.
“They’re brought into hospital and two hours later they’re fine. But they’ve used up a bed, space and resources.”
Camden Council has carried out work to hinder the trade, targeting shops and market stalls that sell legal highs. Last year trading standards officers carried out 41 enforcement visits and four investigations are ongoing.
But experts say a change in the law is necessary to end the cat and mouse game of new drugs appearing on the market more quickly than the government can identify and ban them.
Cllr Jonathan Simpson, cabinet member for community safety said: “Camden is very concerned about the availability of these products - we have been and will continue to carry out work targeting those seeking to make a profit through these dangerous products, however we need residents to join us in tacking this growing problem.
“We strongly urge residents to let us know about any ‘under-the-counter sales’ they know about, or hear of, in Camden by calling the Citizens Advice Consumer Services line on 03454 04 05 06, so we can investigate and take action accordingly.
“We are considering using anti-social behaviour legislation to ban these products, in line with other boroughs.”
NEXT WEEK: Almost half of rough sleepers in Camden are foreign nationals. We reveal the 46 nationalities sleeping on the streets of the borough.
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