200 killed after taking psychoactive drugs in Britain: report

More than 200 people have died in the past year after taking psychoactive drugs known as "legal highs", the Home Office, Britain's interior department, revealed Thursday.

The Home Office said nearly 500 people have been arrested by law enforcers since a landmark psychoactive substances law came into force six months ago which made so-called designer drugs illegal.

New powers were introduced under the new law to tackle what officials described as the menace of so-called legal highs.

Home Office figures showed that new psychoactive substances were involved in 204 deaths in Britain in the last year, an increase of 25 percent compared to the previous 12 months.

Government minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism Sarah Newton said: "We banned new psychoactive substances because they are not safe, they can devastate lives and we will not tolerate them in this country."

Police forces have stopped 332 shops across Britain from selling the substances since the new law came into force.

Police Commander Simon Bray, from the National Police Chief's Council, said that the Psychoactive Substances Act has fundamentally changed the way police tackle the supply and distribution of these dangerous drugs.

Offenders can face up to 7 years in prison for the supply, production, possession with intent to supply, importation or exportation of a psychoactive substance.

Police can also use new powers to shut shops or online dealerships selling the newly banned substances. Endit