PARENTS are being targeted in the war against legal highs as the number of teenagers abusing the drugs gets worse in the East Riding.
East Riding Council is appealing directly to parents to look out for the signs of misuse, as 200 new versions of legal highs have been identified on the streets in just five years.
To help parents, a new booklet highlighting the risks of the drugs, which are now being sold in off-licences, petrol stations and over the internet, yet are almost impossible to police, has been produced.
Tony Margetts, East Riding Council's substance misuse manager, said: "The evidence we are getting is that it is a problem that is getting slowly worse but, the difficulty is, there are lots of chemicals out there changing all the time, which therefore changes their legal position.
"We are starting to get teenagers coming through our treatment services who have picked up a problem which started out as a bit of fun, then habit and now, they are starting to have side-effects.
"We are also seeing people coming through the criminal justice system, who have been drinking and held up with stimulants, which results in them getting into a fight.
"This is one of the reasons we are targeting parents.
"There is a limit to what the law can do to protect people.
"Teenagers have to think about what they are taking and take responsibility for that, while parents have a responsibility to help their children make the right choices."
The booklet concentrates on "novel psychoactive substances", the name given to herbal extracts and synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs, such as M-Cat, which are easy to get hold of and are not expensive.
It has led to inner-dealing among teenagers, with some even passing it off as cocaine.
Because the drugs are so new, it is impossible at this stage to say what the long-term damage might be, however, because they mimic the affects of illegal substances, such as cannabis, speed, cocaine and ecstasy, some users are suffering with mental health problems, such as depression.
Mr Margetts said: "You wouldn't put margarine on the market with the level of testing these drugs go through before they are sold.
"It is completely unknown territory.
"With the stimulants, people use them to get a quick high, but quite a nasty comedown follows, so they are tempted to re-dose.
"When they do come down, the problems associated with cocaine, such as the strain on their heart and their mental health, are very similar.
"Because these drugs are more available and not expensive, younger people are getting hold of them, they are adding to the perils of growing up.
"We recognise it is difficult for parents to deal with stuff that wasn't around when they were younger, such as mobile phones and Facebook, and legal highs can be added to that list."
Email: laurie.fergusson@eastriding.gov.uk or call for 01482 391418 for your booklet.
