DEVON and Cornwall police are encouraging anyone in possession of mephedrone to hand it in before it becomes illegal on Friday.
DEVON and Cornwall police are encouraging anyone in possession of mephedrone to hand it in before it becomes illegal on Friday.
Members of the public can take the drug into their local police station for its safe disposal.
Mephedrone, the drug linked to a number of teenage deaths in the UK in recent months, will become illegal on Friday 16 April.
The so called 'legal high', which is sold as plant fertiliser on the internet, will be classified as a Class B drug.
Anyone possessing the substance after this date could be prosecuted and face up to five years in prison. The maximum sentence for dealing mephedrone will be 14 years.
Paul Netherton, assistant chief constable, said: "Mephedrone is a harmful drug and this is your opportunity to hand over the drug and have it safely disposed of before it becomes unlawful to possess it.
"People need to know that from Friday if they are found with it in their possession, they could have a criminal record with long term consequences as a result.
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