Lethal legal highs are back on sale in York

Synthetic drugs in eye-catching designs and labelled with a range of titles were produced from under the counter when a member of the public - working for The Press - posed as a customer and enquired about them inside the store.

He was given a list of products and told by an assistant they were selling off their stock ahead of a proposed Government ban.

We bought Bubblegum Kush for £7.99, despite being told by staff last month the city-centre shop was to be re-branded as a skate shop and the so-called legal highs would no longer be on sale.

The change of direction coincided with the Government's announcement that a bill to ban the substances will be put through the Commons in the coming months.

However, The Press has found the shop is still selling the products labelled "not for human consumption".

When we asked what was on sale, we were told one legal high was out of stock "at the minute" but other herbal incense were available, including Critical Haze, Bubblegum Kush and Blueberry Kush.

The discovery has provoked fury among campaigners who want the city to be rid of the dangerous chemicals.

James Hall, who runs the York Against Legal Highs Facebook page, said: "It is well known that legal highs are extremely dangerous and the dishonesty demonstrated by this shop shows they cannot be believed when they say that the products are not intended for human consumption.

"They cannot be believed when they say they check ID to ensure the customer is over 18 and they cannot be believed about anything else in the future.

"It is time for the authorities, Trading Standards and the police to take robust action, right now, before more people end up in hospital or worse."

Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer, added: "It is appalling that impressionable young people are still being sold legal yet highly dangerous substances, which could jeopardise their health and potentially even kill them.

"The Psychoactive Substances Bill proposes a new blanket ban for all legal highs, making supply and possession a criminal offence with up to seven years in prison."

Rachael Maskell, York Central MP, said she would be urging the Government to do what they can to speed up the law-making process.

She added: "The language has to be changed to call them lethal highs, not legal highs, because we know how dangerous they are.

"The dangers aren't understood because of all the concoctions on sale, so we need more warnings.

"There's legislation forthcoming which is really positive and ultimately that will be about keeping the public safe, but before that comes in I would say don't purchase anything that can put you at risk."

City of York Council has been informed of our findings and is encouraging anyone with concerns to contact them.

Matt Boxall, the council's Trading Standards manager, said: "Our officers are interested in speaking to anybody with complaints about a product they have purchased: we investigate the warnings and other circumstances surrounding the sale."

Anyone wishing to report a product to Trading Standards should call the Citizens Advice helpline on 08454 040506.

Management at the shop declined to comment.