18 January 2016
A new high profile campaign has been launched raising awareness about so called 'legal highs'. The campaign also provides factual information about the effects the substances can have.
Highs.exposed is being run by Prison! Me! No Way!!!, the States of Jersey Police, the States of Jersey Prison and Ambulance and Customs and Immigration Services.
The campaign's key message is: ‘Just because something says it’s legal, doesn’t mean it’s legal OR safe’.
People who manufacture and sell so called 'legal highs' or NPS (New Psychoactive Substances), market these drugs as being legal, which means that young people believe them to be safe.
A new website has been launched containing factual and helpful information on NPS. The website lets young people and parents know where they can get support and advice in Jersey.
The campaign will also feature advertising on television and Jersey buses, social media posts and a parent / carer roadshow.
Every secondary school on the island has been included in the parent / carer roadshow and the dates are available on both the States of Jersey Police website and the highs.exposed site.
The roadshows will reinforce the campaign's messages and create a forum for people who are worried about someone, either a friend or family member using these substances, or just want to know more about their effects.
Prison! Me! No Way!!! have also designed three new lessons, with locally filmed material, and will deliver lessons to every student across the island in Year 8, Year 10 and Year 12.
Each year groups' lesson is tailored to ensure it is age appropriate and relevant as well as engaging and all lessons will link into PSHE.
The key messages of the highs.exposed campaign are:
- just because something says that it’s legal, doesn’t mean that it is legal or that it’s safe
- many of these substances have not been researched, no one knows what is in them. Don’t be a guinea pig
- why risk it? Don’t play Russian Roulette
- NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) are substances designed to act like existing illegal drugs. They are often so new that no research has been done to find out their dangers and have been linked to many hospital admissions and even deaths.
Prison! Me! No Way!!! Jersey has been undertaking work with students in school on the subject in order to provide young people with factual information on the subject since last year. During 2016 a lot of their focus will be on continuing with that work in the classroom.
highs.exposed website
States of Jersey Police website
Alcohol and drugs
gov.je