The European Commission has proposed to make it easier to ban "legal highs" and for countries to jail people who ignore the bans.
Legal highs are chemicals which replicate the effects of illicit drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy or marijuana.
There is a long list of them available in some high street shops or on the internet, and the list is getting ever longer.
In 2005, member states notified just over 20 new psychoactive substances to the EU's anti-drugs agency, the EMCDDA...
Back our independent journalism by becoming a supporting member
Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's Foreign Affairs Editor. He has been writing about foreign and security affairs for EUobserver since 2005. He is Polish but grew up in the UK. He has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Times of London.