POLITICIANS, police and charities have welcomed a potential ban on legal highs, while drugs campaigners call for regulation instead.

The Queen’s Speech recommended a blanket ban on legal highs with producers and suppliers facing up to seven years in prison.

Greater powers for the authorities will see police target premises and individuals in a crackdown on selling the unregulated psychoactive substances.

Northumbria’s PCC Vera Baird, Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, Durham Constabulary and the Changing Lives charity were among those to welcome the changes announced today.

Mrs Chapman said: “I’m glad the government is finally taking steps to deal with this menace.

“So called legal highs are dangerous substances and the law just hasn’t kept up.”

Durham Constabulary’s officers have been among those calling for a ban in recent years.

A spokeswoman said they fully support the ban: “The name legal high gives the impression that they’re safe – this is not the case and they’ve been the cause of increasing numbers of deaths in the UK.”

However, drugs campaigner John Holliday believes the blanket ban will drive users and sellers underground, making the consumption of such substances more dangerous.

Calling for regulation over prohibition, he said: “Banning the product will drive it underground and onto the online black market.

“There are companies sitting on stockpiles of chemicals ready for release and they will always find new loopholes to skirt the laws.

“If people want these substances, they’ll get them and the only thing banning and not regulating them will do is make it more dangerous to the consumer.”