by Nick Lillitosnlillitos@thekmgroup.co.uk

Legal highs could soon be sold in Maidstone if a businessman gets his way.
UK Skunkworks sells drug smoking equipment, party pills and legal high pellets called Benzo Fury.

The company’s website proclaims: “New store coming to Maidstone – hit us back for any ideas on location.”

The site is part of a chain of five UK shops run by Max Mulley, 28, who has just opened a shop in Canterbury, and insists his products are marked “not for human consumption.”

"Yes, we would like to open in Maidstone if we could find something suitable,” Mr Mulley told the KM.
“It’s a big town with a university and lots of students and so there should be demand.”

The picture above shows a UK Skunkworks shop recently opened in Canterbury.

The substances he sells are deemed by police to be legal and are currently within the law. They do not fall under the definition of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
They are part of a range of so-called ‘legal highs’ or ‘designer drugs.’ In some cases, substances are created to be chemically similar to their illegal counterparts.

With the formula changed the substances being sold are then no longer illegal.
One high called ‘Benzo Fury’ comes in pellet and powder form. It’s a colourless stimulant inhaled by heating it, rather like incense, and is said to have psychedelic effects.

But there have been reports that some teenagers have been swallowing the drugs, instead of inhaling them.

Full story and reaction in this week's Kent Messenger.