STEMMING the tide of so-called legal highs flooding the high street and widely available online is like a game of cat and mouse.

No sooner have the police and politicians identified and banned one substance, manufacturers side step the legislation by tweaking their ingredients to create a new compound with similar effects.

But in the USA authorities are leading a counter-attack by introducing tougher laws to close loopholes in the trade.

Now, just days after the Daily Echo launched its Say No to Legal Highs campaign to crack down on the sale of the potentially deadly drugs which have killed three people in Hampshire and left another seriously ill, the county’s police and crime commissioner has called on law-makers to follow examples set across the Atlantic.

Daily Echo: Daily Echo launches campaign to tighten law on sale of 'legal highs.

North Carolina is among the leading states and city states enforcing tough regulations creating a pre- emptive strike on any substances that mimic illicit drugs, rather than outlawing individual chemicals.

They have passed a blanket ban on synthetic drugs, or what they refer to as “imitation controlled substances” which have similar effects to illicit drugs, however they are marketed.

Daily Echo: Legal high drugs seized by police.

Anyone selling or delivering more than 150g to 750g of synthetic cannabis faces up to 30 months’ imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.

Sell more than 28g of bath salts, which mimic cocaine and amphetamines, and it could be up to seven years in jail and a $50,000 fine.

In Florida politicians have moved to ban 27 different chemicals often found in legal highs.

Anyone selling or possessing drugs containing those chemicals face a five-year prison sentence and a $5,000 fine.

Daily Echo: Legal high the new drug of choice

In the Florida city of Tampa, a widespread ban is in place covering all legal highs if they are:

  •  Advertised as incense, pot pourri, plant food or other products they are rarely used for and at a high price for such substances;
  • Sold in smoke shops, liquor stores or other retailers rarely stocking such claimed products;
  • Its brand name is similar to illegal drugs and if its packaging advertises or portrays mind altering effects.

Those selling them face up to two months in jail and/or $500 per violation.

Daily Echo: Deadly legal high victim named

Meanwhile, New Zealand has taken a different approach, passing laws allowing manufacturers of synthetic drugs to submit health and safety testing schemes similar to those used to test new medicines.

Those passing the pharmaceutical-style trials are deemed “low-risk”, and producers are allowed to sell them legally under tough regulations such as outlawing sales to under-18s.

Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Simon Hayes, below, said all mind-altering substances should be banned, and called on politicians to learn from examples in the USA.

Daily Echo: Talk: Hampshire Police Commissioner Simon Hayes

He said: “The law needs to be changed to ban what are deceptively dangerous and potentially deadly substances.

“In my mind they are lethal, not legal, and Parliament should be addressing this urgently and should not shy away.

“We live in a liberal society and we do not want to interfere with the individual.

“But what people do in their ¬private lives has a knock-on effect which consumes public services.”

He added: “We need to expose retailers, who are irresponsible to sell these substances and are taking advantage of vulnerable young people.

“It’s totally irresponsible for individuals to sell these products, and I don’t know how they can sleep at night with it on their conscience.”

But he slammed the New Zealand approach and added: “People can start off taking something recreationally that is low-risk and the nature of the substance takes control of their mind and body and you end up taking more.

“There should be no leeway in the law when looking at anything that is mind altering.”

Alison Ward is manager for Southampton Drug and Alcohol Support and Health (DASH), part of No Limits, which provides -confidential support services for young people caught up in the cycle of legal highs.

She said tougher laws are only one side of the story and more needs to be done to educate young people about the dangers of legal highs.

She said: “The legislation needs to work in tandem with education for young people to let them know they are clearly not for human consumption.

“The police are doing a lot of work to disrupt the trade and that of illegal drugs, but it’s about keeping one step ahead of the manufacturers.

“This sort of thing will continue to go on as long those who make the drugs feel there’s money to be made.”