WITH names like Spice, Banshee, Evoke, Burst and Clockwork Orange, the designer drugs formerly known as legal highs quickly became popular.

Now more commonly called New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) after an act of Parliament that banned their production, supply and sale, questions remain about how the law will be enforced.

Chief Insp Simon Anslow, district commander for Southend, believes the legislation will reduce demand for synthetic drugs.

He said: “With it being illegal it does have the potential to go underground.

“But with that said, if you are going to commit a criminal offence to get something are you going to get a new synthetic substance or get something that’s already illegal?

“As someone who’s not a drug user it’s difficult to suggest.”

For the time being, most law enforcement action is being directed towards head shops which promote cannabis and drug culture, as police now have the power to shut them down.

But officers will also look to confiscate the drugs from users, even if they are not committing a crime.

Mr Anslow said: “It’s something we will keep an eye on, primarily through keeping tabs on those premises.

“So far, we have not had any breaches of the legislation.

“It’s a very odd piece of legislation in that we have got a power to search anyone who we think might be in possession of them with intent to supply.

“But if we find them we have the power to seize them even if they might not be committing a criminal offence.”

A worker at the head shop Oh Yeah, in Southchurch Road, Southend, said he was glad businesses had been banned from selling the “evil” drugs.

He said: “We actually took the step to stop doing it when we found out what this stuff was.

“We are strongly against legal highs. I’m really glad they banned it.”

There are fears the drugs could be purchased through the so-called “dark web”, which requires specialist software.

However, The Echo was able to find an online business willing to sell synthetic cannabis through a quick Google search.

Our reporter selected a “pot pourri” product called Diablo being sold for $25 for 10 grams and carrying the disclaimer: “Not intended for human consumption.”

The Echo emailed the company and: “Will you still ship synthetic cannabis to the UK even though they've banned legal highs?

“If so, do you ship discreetly so my order will make it to my address?”

Ten minutes later, our reporter received a reply that simply said: “Yes”.

The Echo did not go through with the order as that would have broken the law.

Some believe the drugs, which include nitrous oxide, or ‘laughing gas’ canisters, will simply be driven underground, helping to line the pockets of criminal gangs.

It happened in Essex when the deadly synthetic stimulant mephedrone, also known as M-cat or Miaow-Miaow, was banned in 2010.

Cousins Asadollah Zare, 39, and Ebrahim Zare, 41, both of Braintree, were jailed for a total of seven years in March for their role in a gang selling the drug across the county, including in Southend.

Two other men from Shoebury, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also jailed.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard the men had been selling the drug before it was made illegal on April 15, 2010, and simply carried on, maximising profits in a less competitive market.