CAMPAIGNERS against legal highs are rejoicing after five legal highs were today, (April 10) temporarily banned by the government...but they're calling for them all to be banned.

The Home Office announced that the drugs would be made illegal for 12 months while the independent Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) decides whether they should be permanently controlled.

But Nick Smith of South West Action Group said the news was fantastic.

He added: "We're hoping that law will be put in place hopefully by the end of next year which will ban all legal highs and the news that today five had been banned temporarily is great.

"But what we want to see is all of the legal highs banned in the interim of a law being put in place.

"It would be a positive step and would stop the problem growing and means efforts to help those who are already addicted to legal highs could be stepped up.

"Taunton is a lovely town and we want it to get back to being one.

"We have seen a decrease in antisocial behaviour since the closure of Hush but we are seeing more needles being reported and in parks that previously we didn't think there was a problem such as Hamilton.

"Please keep reporting needles found to the council and I hope the community can continue to work together to make Taunton great again."

The government accepted the ACMD’s advice to make a Temporary Class Drug Order (TCDO) on five compounds related to methylphenidate, a Class B drug, due to concerns about their misuse as new psychoactive substances (NPS).

Ethylphenidate, one of the drugs being banned, has emerged as an alternative to cocaine and is sold using the street names ‘Gogaine’ and ‘Burst’.

Users have been known to inject the drug, putting themselves at risk of blood-borne disease and infection.

Rebecca Pow, prospective Conservative MP for Taunton Deane recently organised an exclusive meeting between Home Secretary Theresa May and the Somerset County Gazette to talk about the legal high problems in Taunton.

"This is really the best news we could have hoped for," said Rebecca Pow.

She added: "Mrs May was visibly shocked when we highlighted recent frightening incidents locally involving children finding discarded needles and people ordering legal highs as a kind of take away service.

"The Home Secretary really seems to have listened and moved quickly in introducing this ban following the recommendations of the independent Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs.

"Concerns about legal highs are constantly raised with me when I am out meeting people and I am delighted and relieved to hear this announcement which should have a significant impact on making our streets safer.’ To prevent users from switching to related drugs with similar harms, the ACMD recommended that the following four drugs are also banned: 3,4-Dichloromethylphenidate (‘3,4-DCMP’), Methylnaphthidate, Isopropylphenidate and Propylphenidate.

Once the order is in force, anyone caught making, supplying or importing the drugs will face up to 14 years in prison and an unlimited fine under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Police and border officials will be allowed to search or detain anyone they suspect of having the drugs and seize, keep or dispose of a substance they think is a temporary class drug.