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Crazy Chemist gets message across to clubbers

The message of the 'Crazy Chemist' campaign is, you never know what you are taking or what effect it might have on your body. It features a mad scientist character in a white lab coat, who tells it like it is. For instance, clubbers are warned: 'Don’t mix it with alcohol if you want to live!' 

The campaign includes:

• offline advertising in clubs, bars and record shops
  
• online activity - adverts and articles on clubbing and student websites, and targeted information that appears when people try to buy certain 'legal highs' online
  
• partnership with the National Union of Student (NUS) - includes distribution of posters, flyers and wristbands at electronic and house music nights at key universities
  
• partnership with Mixmag magazine - includes advertising and distribution of posters and flyers in the magazine

Controls may soon be in place

The government has set out plans to control a range of so called 'legal highs' under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by end 2009. New legislation is likely to cover the following substances:

• solvent GBL, taken as a substitute for the banned substance GHB or "liquid ecstasy" - these drugs have been linked to date rape
• synthetic cannabinoids (man-made chemicals that mimic the effects of cannabis, sprayed on herbal smoking products such as 'Spice')
  
• BZP, a synthetic stimulant taken as a legal alternative to amphetamine
  

Dangerous chemicals

The information campaign challenges the notion that substances which are not illegal must be safe to consume. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: "That is not the case, these are dangerous chemicals. We want to educate young people who might be tempted to experiment with 'legal highs'."

These substances are not controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. But most of them are illegal to sell, supply or advertise for human consumption because of their effects on the body.

Further information

More information about the harmful effects of these drugs can be found on the Crazy Chemist section of the Talk to Frank website. Talk to Frank is an online space where people can get information about drugs, without needing to give their real name.

• The Crazy Chemist and Legal Highs Opens new window

• Talk to Frank Opens new window

• Drugs: what are the risks? (parents section)

• Drugs abroad, and the law (travel and transport section)