New Law To Ban Legal Highs Could Also Make Church Incense Illegal

Smells like holy spirit: religious leaders are incensed by a new Bill that could see church incense become illegal.

It’s all down to the Psychoactive Substances Bill which is set to make ‘legal highs’ illegal. Under the new law it will become a criminal offence to sell “any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect” - which incense can.

Two church groups are protesting that the Psychoactive Substances Bill is so wide-ranging it risks criminalising something that has been “used for worship purposes for millennia”.

The Association of English Cathedrals and the Churches’ Legislation Advisory Service are urging ministers to make a “specific exemption” for incense.

In evidence to a parliamentary inquiry, the Association warned: “[Incense] has an important symbolic role; the smoke represents the presence of God, prayers rising to God, and the offering of gifts and lives as a sacrifice to God.

"Incense is used to enhance the worship experience, and no longer being able to use it would have an adverse impact on the conduct of worship.”

It quoted Lord Howarth, of Newport, a former education minister, who has argued the Bill risks criminalising the use of "innocuous psychoactive botanicals such as perfumes, incense and herbal remedies”.

The Labour peer said: “We do not want to criminalise priests. The more vigorously the priest swings the censer, the more incense is let loose into the body of the church.”

Scientists have found that a chemical commonly found in incense may elevate mood and reduce anxiety.

Mice injected with incensole acetate, a component found in the resin of the Boswellia plant - better known as frankincense - showed reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms.

The resin, an ingredient in Middle Eastern incense, made the trial subjects less fearful of open spaces compared with mice that were given a placebo.

Ministers have suggested specific exemptions will be introduced, pointing to alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.

The criticism from churches, in written evidence to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, came as the Bill was fiercely criticised by the head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

At a committee hearing, Professor Les Iversen said the Home Office had made some changes to the Bill, after its earlier criticism, but added: “I don’t think any of the main issues have been resolved.”

In particular, the Advisory Council doubted that “pyschoactivity” could be proved in court. Professor Iversen said: “You must have some means of defining what a psychoactive substance is.”

The professor said would meet Home Secretary Theresa May next week, to press his concerns again.