THERE is undoubtedly a growing problem with the sale and consumption of so- called "legal highs".

These substances, often containing ingredients which are completely unknown, may sometimes be legal but can also be illegal, sold as another substance.

What is clear is that these substances are not safe and are luring in a new generation to dangerous drug use.

Whatever resources can be deployed to combat their sale must be used and methods to prevent shopkeepers selling them on the high street should be welcomed to prevent retailers circumventing the law and putting young people at risk.

If the test purchasing scheme, used to catch shopkeepers selling tobacco and alcohol to under 18s, can be utilised in some way to gather information and build evidence against potential offenders then it should be considered.

Those manufacturing and distributing these products need to be stopped to prevent the tragic cases we have seen already becoming commonplace in our towns and cities.

So, send in the 'spy kids' to flush out those selling dangerous substances that are not for human consumption while in full knowledge they are as dangerous as other drugs.