Rick Bradley is Early Intervention Lead at KCA Young Persons’ Services. This presentation for the ADEPIS seminar on NPS - held on Monday 19th May - is intended to present current trends and the challenges faced by young people in relation to NPS.
ADEPIS - NPS trends and the challenges faced by young people in the community - KCA
1. NPS trends and the challenges faced
by young people in the community
Rick Bradley
Early Intervention Lead - KCA Young Persons’ Services
2. Outline of presentation
• Our involvement with new psychoactive substances (NPS)
• Case studies
– Folkestone: ‘mystery’ pills and powders
– Canterbury: synthetic cannabinoids
– Maidstone: proliferation of head shops
• Key challenges for young people
• Responding to NPS trends
• Additional contact information
3. KCA Young Persons’ Service
• Commissioned to support YP aged 10 – 17 offering:
– Specialist treatment services
– Early intervention programmes
– Forums and training for professionals
– Support for families
• Majority of delivery is around alcohol and cannabis
• Level of NPS work has grown since 2009
• Initial focus was mainly in relation to pills and powders
• Recent work responding to synthetic cannabinoid trends
5. Case study: Folkestone
• Two head shops:
– A) old school: no under 18s, dialogue with KCA, share information
– B) less discerning: serves YP, monitored by police / trading standards
• First mention of methylone (‘M1’) in ‘09 – 13/14 year old girls
• Mephedrone overtook this in popularity – media profile
• Trend towards pills and powders:
– Methoxetamine (‘M-Ket’), ‘Crystal’, ‘Danger K’
• Increased use by YP of ‘adult’ substances:
– ‘Blues’ (valium and phenazepam), ‘Gaba’ (gabapentin), ‘Trixies’
(trihexyphenidil)
6.
7. Case study: Canterbury
• Two head shops:
– A) old school: Kent HQ, dialogue with KCA, shares information
– B) Skunkworks
• Historic use by YP of cannabis, some hallucinogens – limited NPS
reports
• Past 6 – 12 months: increase in use, especially ‘legal weed’, but also
AMT (‘legal DMT’) and NBOMe (‘legal LSD’)
• User reports from smoking blends often negative:
– Chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, co-ordination
problems, unpleasant visuals, intense anxiety, fear of dying but … they’re
cheaper and legal!
• Influence of media reports: ‘stronger than cannabis’
9. Case study: Maidstone
• Proliferation of head shops:
– Three established (including Skunkworks) plus ‘pop up’ shops, all in close
proximity of each other within the town centre
• Local worker reports a steady increase in reports of use within
the past 12 months:
– Initially stimulant pills and powders (‘Charly Sheen’)
– More recently smoking mixtures are ‘dominating’ sessions with some
groups – smell not detected by teachers or parents
10. Key challenges for YP
• Cutbacks in local services plus limited education in
schools on general substance use:
– Basic information on substances / decision making is lacking
– Fewer mentors and positive role models
• Naïve use and confusion around terminology:
– Ignorance re: dosage; SCRA as 'legal weed', etc.
– Some assume NPS industry is well regulated, hence safe
• Street purchases of NPS becoming more common:
– Even harder to gauge effects and risks, some sold in baggies
– Involvement with more experienced user groups
• Age range of services hinders young adults:
– NPS users don't see themselves as problematic, reluctant to attend
service centres
11. Responding to NPS trends
• Information sharing:
– Trends database established for practitioners
– Information sharing with partner agencies
• Promoting awareness to local young people:
– Information leaflets developed (harm reduction advice included)
– Targeted sessions, outreach, festivals
– Responding to local trends
• Links with head shops:
– Exchange of information: trends, negative reports
– Information leaflets given out
and most importantly …
13. "It’s great when I can't cope with my situation. It
completely takes me out of my body - 2 or 3 puffs
and I'm tripping …
“I feel safe when using ‘Zebra’ - no one can touch
me”
(Quotations from a service user)