A Whole City Response to the Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) by Young People in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

In recent years, Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) (otherwise known as ‘legal highs’) have posed an increasingly significant problem for practitioners and policy makers due to their widespread availability, largely unknown chemical composition and negative effects on health and wellbeing. Young people (aged 10-25) seem to be at particular risk of using NPS and experiencing the associated harms. As such, the Department of Social Sciences and Languages at Northumbria University were commissioned by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria – via the Department’s partnership with Newcastle Youth Offending Team – to undertake a scoping exercise into young people's use of NPS in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.