In 2016, the legality of poppers and their use was debated in the UK’s parliament and they nearly became illegal as part of the government’s crackdown on so-called legal highs.
However, Poppers were proven to not be a psychoactive substance and so the government made a u-turn on their decision to outlaw the liquid, meaning it is legal to buy and consume poppers in the UK.
The psychoactive substance bill which came into affect in April 2018 means that anyone supplying any drugs that provide a psychoactive reaction, unless they’ve been sanctioned, like alcohol and cigarettes by the government, could face some serious jail time – up to 7 years. Poppers were found not to be psychoactive.
The u-turn came when the government’s own advisory board on drugs issued a report saying that Poppers were not a psychoactive substance.
Poppers have a long history in the lives of gay men. They are often used during sex and when inhaled can create a head rush, like a “high” and the feeling of muscle relaxation.
