The Lisbon-based European monitoring centre for drugs and  drug addiction says nearly 10% of 15 to 24 year-olds in Britain have used former legal highs, twice the European average of 5%.

More than 40 deaths were linked to a group of now-banned legal highs in 2010, eight times as many as the previous year.

Sellers refer to them as research chemicals, plant food, bath crystals or pond cleaner.

Drug takers, especially young ones, truly believe that these substances are  harmless because they hide behind the label of legal highs.

Around 700 websites will happily supply different types of former Legal Highs to anyone without giving health warnings.

Whilst the long term effects of substance misuse are unknown many have caused deaths and horrific side effects.

The long and short term effects of substance misuse are unknown.

The addiction risks of substance misuse are unknown.

The interaction of these chemicals and other substances is unknown.

The “legal” label didn’t mean that they were certified, pure or tested.