POLICE have hailed new powers to stop so-called legal highs — but one Bolton charity has already questioned the effectiveness of the new law.

The Psychoactive Substances Act, which came into force yesterday, bans the supply of previously-legal synthetic mind-bending drugs sold as pills or rocks that the authorities say have a similar effect to controlled class A drugs like ecstasy or cocaine.

Intentionally producing a psychoactive substance, supplying a psychoactive substance, possessing a psychoactive substance with intent to supply, importing or exporting a psychoactive substance and possessing a psychoactive substance in a custodial institution are new offences although the simple possession of a psychoactive substance is specifically not.

One store, Nirvana, relocated from Bolton town centre to Tonge Moor and eventually closed in May 2015 after the police and Bolton Council issuing a Community Protection Notice that banned the store from selling its 'legal high' products, effectively cutting off its revenue stream.

Greater Manchester Police's Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, said: "We have seen the devastating effects psychoactive substances can have and we will use this legislation to make sure they are no longer on sale and will continue to work with drugs agencies to safeguard those most vulnerable.

"In the past week, nine people have fallen seriously ill after taking so called 'legal highs'.

"This legislation gives us the power to do all that we can to educate people and help prevent them from putting their lives at risk.

"Our job is to protect people and prevent harm, and with partner agencies, we work hard to ensure Greater Manchester is a safe place for people to live."

GMP made the first arrest in Rochdale yesterday on the day they could first use their powers — the same borough where more than nine people fell ill in a matter of days after consuming the substances.

But the new law has come under scrutiny for how effective it will actually be in stopping the trade in 'brands' such as Spice, Clockwork Orange, Annihilation and Cherry Bombs and helping individuals tempted to dabble.

Julian Finch, chief executive officer of YMCA Bolton, said: "Nationally, YMCA welcomes Government action on legal highs.

"However, this research has uncovered strong evidence to suggest the new Psychoactive Substances Act will not achieve what is necessary to address the impact these substances are having on many young people’s lives.

"The ban is likely to have some success in reducing the numbers of young people taking these substances.

"However, we believe it will do little to address the hidden, darker side to legal highs.

"What YMCA has discovered is that many young people, including those who are highly entrenched in their addiction to substances such as Spice, are likely to be unperturbed by this change in the law.

“Unless the Act is backed up with changes to the education and support currently available, YMCA’s national evidence suggests that these young people and more will continue to experience harm at the hands of legal highs for years to come."

Anyone with information about the sale or supply of psychoactive substances should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.