A LONDON borough has become the first part of the city to ban “legal highs”, five years on from Ireland’s blanket ban on the substances.
Lambeth in south London will introduce the ban from August 17, with the council voting in favour of the Public Spaces Protection Order.
Anyone caught using or supplying the so-called “legal highs” in any part of the borough will face a fine of up to £1,000.
The move comes as the British Government continue to debate the use of these substances nationwide.
A proposed total ban is up for debate, which would see a seven-year jail term introduced for the use or sale of these substances.
The Irish Government banned legal highs in the Republic in August 2010.
The Criminal Justice Psychoactive Substances Act has been deemed extraordinarily effective in wiping out legal highs in the Republic – by eliminating all 100 “head shops” around the country.
The British Government announced plans to adopt a similar system in May of this year.
Minister of State for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Victims, Mike Penning, said: “Young people who take these substances are taking exceptional risks with their health and those who profit from their sale have a complete disregard for the potential consequences.
“The blanket ban will give police and other law enforcement agencies greater powers to tackle the reckless trade in psychoactive substances, instead of having to take a substance-by-substance approach.”
Like Lambeth, some district councils are taking matters into their own hands by voting in favour of a local ban on the products.
Earlier this year, Lincoln became the first British city to introduce a complete ban on legal highs.
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