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Employers must stamp out legal highs

Employers must stamp out legal highs

Workplace experts, Acas, have published a new guide today to help employers deal with the challenges of an increase in legal highs. It includes advice on how to set drug and alcohol policies and how to manage staff under the influence of readily available mind-altering drugs that are legal.

Legal highs are largely substances which imitate the effects of illegal drugs when consumed but are not actually illegal themselves. They are also known as psychoactive substances. Last year there were 129 deaths in England, Scotland and Wales due to legal highs. Employer calls to the Acas helpline about drug, alcohol and legal high use in the workplace, are often about what can be done to prove someone is under the influence of substances and the right action to take if they’ve seen an employee taking or admitting to taking drugs on social media sites like Facebook.

Acas Head of Information and Guidance, Stewart Gee, said: “With Christmas parties already in full swing, it’s important to keep celebrations clean and enjoyable for all. Employers need to ensure that they have robust policies in place to avoid any ambiguity when it comes to the use of legal highs in the workplace. “Many people may be unaware that whilst these substances can be obtained legally, using or consuming them could be banned under most workplaces’ drugs policies.

“Our new guide will help employers update their policies to ensure staff are aware that the use of legal highs is also unacceptable in the workplace.”Acas’ guide urges employers to:

Consider:including legal highs when writing their drug and alcohol policies. Policies don’t have to be limited to what is and isn’t allowed in the law.Act:it’s a serious issue, so be clear in drugs and alcohol policies about all types of substance misuse – legal or not. If policies are not clear enough, update them accordingly.

Remind:employees that despite being technically legal, the use of legal highs is banned in most workplaces under the organisation’s drugs policy.Read: the new Acas guide for helpful advice on how to get policies in place sooner rather than later. Stewart added: “We can work with your organisation to help you develop and implement effective drugs policies for your workplace.

“Acas has extensive experience in this area and we can provide cost effective solutions to your needs.”There is currently legislation going through Parliament to ban the supply of drugs, based on their psychoactive effects. The Acas guide recommends agreeing standards of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours with employees now, by having clear drugs and alcohol policies that account for all types of substance misuse in the workplace – legal or not.

www.acas.org.uk/legalhighs  

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