Spice is one of several ‘legal highs’ available locally.

BANNING legal highs would be almost impossible, according to the director of public health. Four people – two youths and two juveniles – were taken to hospital at the weekend after having taken tablets.

Dr David Jeffs said that in late 2006, States bodies had become concerned at an upsurge in the use of legal highs. A working party, which he chaired, was set up to look at the situation.

‘Our advice from the Law Officers was that we would have to very specific to ban these things and there are many types of legal highs available,’ he said. Substances such as Spice contained about 20 different ingredients and manufacturers would need to change only one of them and rename it to make it legal again.

‘If the EU or UK came up with effective legislation, then we would certainly recommend that the States do the same. But at present there are technical legal issues and it would be difficult to go alone,’ said Dr Jeffs.