A regional daily has welcomed the new blanket ban on so-called legal highs being passed into law.

The North West Evening Mail had campaigned in favour of the ban for the past three years amid concerns the substances were linked to deaths and were fuelling anti-social behaviour.

Under the Psychoactive Substances Bill, which became law last month, it is now a crime to supply a psychoactive substances and offenders face a maximum of seven years in prison.

But individuals who possess the drug for personal use will not be criminalised.

Evening Mail editor James Higgins said: “We launched this campaign three years ago amid real fears that a child could die because the substances were widely available locally.

“We welcome this move by the Government which will see a blanket ban on so-called ‘legal highs’ and help protect our children and communities.”

The Barrow-based Mail was one of a number of regional press titles to campaign on the issue in recent years, with both the Kent Messenger and Southern Daily Echo also bidding to get the substances outlawed.

The Southampton-based Echo praised the bill when it was first outlined in the Queen’s Speech and published in draft last year.

An Echo editorial at the time read: “This will not end the problem, of course. The illegality of many drugs does not prevent them from being sold.

“But those dealing in death in this way will know that they run the risk of the harshest of penalties should they flout the law.”