Church and graveyard targeted by legal high users in Lincoln

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-38128150

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Church leaders in Lincoln have said a city-wide ban on so-called legal highs has compounded the problem in other parts of the city.

Last April, Lincoln became the first place in the UK to introduce a ban on new psychoactive substances (NPS) and alcohol consumption in the city centre.

Incidents involving legal highs have dropped from 402 to 259 in a year.

However, one city centre church reported cases of people collapsing and fitting on its premises.

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Jeremy Cullimore, a priest at St Mary le Wigford Church, said the problem had moved to other parts of the city, including the church.

He said the church had experienced a number of issues with people camping out in the grounds.

"We were getting somebody fitting, or collapsing, at least twice a week, and were having to call out ambulances," he said.

"There was a very real fear people were going to die."

He said despite problems at the church the council was doing its best, and was unable to bring "peace on earth and goodwill to all men".

There have also been further reports of people camping out in a graveyard on Beaumont Fee and taking legal highs, close to the city's police station.

The number of incidents involving NPS in the city increased from seven to 820 between 2010 and 2014.

Sam Barstow, from the authority, said while there had been a reduction in the use of new psychoactive substances "there is more work to do".

He said: "We were always conscious that this was never going to eradicate the issue entirely, but we've had in excess of 30 successful prosecutions under the order.

The Psychoactive Substances Act makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, or possess on custodial premises.

What are so-called legal highs?