A SOUTHAMPTON shop believed to have sold legal highs has closed after the potentially deadly substances were banned.

Hed High in St Mary’s was among a series of so-called "Head Shops" selling brands of psychoactive substances which have caused the deaths of scores of young people.

Now it appears to have shut up shop after the substances were outlawed.
Nearby shopkeepers, who say they have been subjected to yobbish behaviour by “zombie” addicts frequenting the head shop, are hoping it marks the end of what they have called “six months of hell”.

It comes as police step up their warnings for people to avoid using a now illegal psychoactive substance thought to be responsible for causing 11 people to need emergency treatment in Hampshire in the past fortnight.

As revealed in the Daily Echo, the victims – 10 in Winchester and another in Southampton – are all believed to have consumed the highly addictive form of synthetic cannabis called Spice – now outlawed under the ban.

Last night blue roller shutters sprayed with silver graffiti remained pulled down over Hed High after the St Mary’s Road store is believed to have been shut down on the eve of tough new legislation brought in yesterday (Thursday).

Traders selling the potentially lethal substances on the high street and online face tough punishments.

The ban signals a victory for the Daily Echo's Say No to Legal Highs campaign launched three years ago calling for tougher laws, vendors and sellers to be held to account and tighter controls to stop youngsters buying the dangerous substances over the counter.

Business in St Mary’s Street say the store closed shortly before the ban – with desperate customers trying to stock up on the substances before they were outlawed.

A shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, had regularly seen foul mouthed customers shouting, urinating in the streets and slumped outside the shop.
He said: “They were like zombies. It’s been six months of hell.”

He said the shop was particularly busy in the day leading up to the ban – with some crestfallen customers even gathering the morning the ban had been passed before eventually leaving.

He added: “Some were so disappointed they were almost crying. It’s been peaceful today.”

Another trader Yohanes Habtemariam, who also saw people shouting in the street, said: “Our customers were worried about it. It looks like it is closed now. Hopefully things will change.”

The new Psychoactive Substances Act (PSA) makes it an offence to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, possess on custodial premises, import or export psychoactive substances. The maximum sentence is seven years’ imprisonment.