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<p>There have been a number of assessments of the health harms of new psychoactive
substances (NPS) in recent years. These include the following:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>- a summary of the health harms of drugs published by the Department in August
2011 sets out an assessment of the health harms of novel psychoactive drugs among
others. The report outlined acute and chronic problems associated these substances,
but the date of the evidence review meant it was early to determine the actual harms
of the NPS;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- the Advisory Council on the Misuse of
Drugs (ACMD) published its report ‘Consideration of the Novel Psychoactive Substances
(‘Legal Highs’)’ in 2011. The report includes an assessment of the harms that these
drugs cause;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- since 2010, the ACMD
has published a number of reports on their assessment of different types of NPS, including
the harms they cause. The drugs the ACMD have reported on include tryptamines, NBOMe
compounds, benzofurans, O-desmethyltramadol, methoxetamine, synthetic cannabinoids,
and 2-DPMP (Ivory Wave);</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- on 30 October 2014, the Home
Office published the report of an expert panel they appointed to look at the issue
of NPS and provide recommendations to the Government. Alongside the report and the
Government response, the Home Office also published an NPS evidence review. The evidence
review found that that the available evidence suggests that the overall harms from
NPS are low compared to the overall harms from traditional illicit drugs;</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- the Government’s Drugs Early Warning System (DEWS)
helps ensure that harmful new substances are rapidly identified. Local and national
intelligence gathered by DEWS – including health harms – assists the ACMD in its assessment
of harms of NPS. On a broader scale, national intelligence is fed into a Europe-wide
early warning system for new substances;</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- FRANK, the
government’s drug information service, has information about the harms caused by NPS;
and</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>- Public Health England (PHE) is supporting and
contributing clinical expertise to the first set of clinical guidelines on the acute
management and treatment of novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Project NEPTUNE will
advise clinicians on how to assess and respond to NPS related harm and is currently
being developed by the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. The guidelines
are due to be published in 2015. PHE has committed to using its networks and other
resources to support the dissemination of project NEPTUNE’s findings and advice.</p><p>
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