CRIMINAL JUSTICE & STANDARDS PORTFOLIO

RESOURCES DIRECTORATE
Corporate Support and Information Services - Data Protection
Police Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB

Tel: 01772 413327 Fax: 01772 412123 Email: [Lancashire Constabulary request email]

Philip Chillag

Via www.whatdotheyknow.com

Via email: request-24213-836386f0@whatdotheyknow@com

14 January 2010

Dear Mr Chillag,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPLICATION REFERENCE NO: 2218/09

Thank you for your request for information received by Lancashire Constabulary on the 4^th December 2009, which was as follows:-

I am writing to request information regarding statements made by the Lancashire Constabulary to members of the press concerning the substance methedrone. Please treat this as a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

Specifically I am referring to the warnings about the substance made to the public by Lancashire Constabulary which are specifically mentioned in the following articles:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/8389309.stm

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/hyndburn/4772672.Arrests_warning_over_fertiliser__drug__in_Hyndburn/

The BBC article states "Police are warning people about the dangers of Mephedrone and say using the drug could prove fatal". Please provide copies of all the scientific evidence reviewed by Lancashire Constabulary that lead them to this conclusion, e.g. peer reviewed papers, medical case studies, etc.

I would also like to know who made these statements (or if that is not possible, which department issued them), and upon whose authority they were made. A copy of any press releases or correspondence with members of the press regarding this issue would be of particular interest.

Furthermore, I would like to know upon what grounds these statements were made, since mephedrone is not an illegal substance under the Misuse of Drugs act. Is it purely on public safety ground? If so, I would like information regarding the policies under which the police make such warnings, since there are lots of other activities that are a risk to public safety yet Lancashire Constabulary doesn't feel the need to issue warnings against them. For example, equestrian activities kill and seriously injure a significant number of people, but as far as I am aware, neither the Lancashire Constabulary nor any other police force has issued warnings against horse riding.

Your request has now been considered and the information you are seeking can be found below:-

The actual press release issued by Lancashire Constabulary on the 1^st December 2009 can be found attached to this email. The decision to issue this press release came after officers in the Hyndburn area had a number of first hand experiences with teenagers who admitted they had been taking mephedrone after purchasing it legally as a plant feeder. The reported side effects caused concern with officers, as they included extreme paranoia, diarrhoea and a severe depression as the effects of the drug wore off, and the Inspector responsible for Geographic Patrols in the Hyndburn area felt that increasing public awareness of the potential risks caused by such side effects was warranted. The use of mephedrone as a `party drug' is relatively new, and many people may not be aware of the potential dangers, or may mistakenly believe that because mephedrone is not currently illegal that it is therefore safe.

The Inspector was also made aware of a recent case in Brighton, where a teenage girl died after taking `a suspected cocktail of drugs', including mephedrone. Please see the link below for further information:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Party-Drug-Meow-Meow-Sold-Online-As-Mephedrone-Teenager-Gabi-Prices-Dies-After-Taking-Legal-High/Article/200911415468664?f=rss

Whilst her death may not have been directly as a result of using mephedrone, it was a good opportunity to remind the public that using illicit or illegal drugs can cause death, and as you will see from the press statement released by Lancashire Constabulary, the reference to fatal consequences was made in relation to drugs in general, rather than specifically to mephedrone.

The statement was released to the press as a public health and safety warning, which is an important part of the role of the Constabulary. There is no specific policy in place to dictate which subjects the force may or may not issue warnings about, however in reference to the example you give in your request I would suggest that as horse riding is a pursuit which has been undertaken in this country for many hundreds of years the associated risks are already well documented and available to the public, enabling them to reach their own conclusions and take appropriate safety measures to minimise these risks. Mephedrone's use as an illicit `party drug' however, is relatively new, and as yet the full risks of taking it are not known. As such, it was felt that making the public aware of the potential risks and the side effects already witnessed was a sensible step to take under the circumstances.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request an internal review of our decision, you should write to the Data Protection and Information Officer, Corporate Support and Information Services - Data Protection, Police Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB or alternatively send an email to [Lancashire Constabulary request email]. Details of the Constabulary's Freedom of Information Complaint Procedures can be found attached to this email.

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the Information Commissioner's Office cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by Lancashire Constabulary. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Bryony Hopkinson
Freedom of Information Disclosure Officer

NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED