THE increasing use of legal highs is the next big challenge facing the police and the NHS, a senior police officer has warned.

Inspector Colin Dobson, from Durham Police, said that without action the number of deaths caused by legal highs would outstrip those caused by heroin in less than two years and called for a more joined up approach to tackle the issue.

He told a meeting of councillors in Darlington he had heard hardened drug users say that they would be scared to use legal highs because of their unpredictability.

The popularity of legal highs, which are designed to mimic the effects of stimulant or hallucinogenic drugs, has led to calls for the government to bring in legislation to restrict their use.

Mostly used by young people, legal highs are available at so-called ‘head shops’, on the internet, on market stalls and even some newsagents.

The lack of regulation means they can produce a stronger effect than the illegal drugs they replicate, with the user having no way of knowing exactly what they are taking.

Although hundreds of substances have been banned, the manufacturers can simply change the chemicals slightly and repackage them for legal sale.

Insp Dobson, who leads the force’s alcohol harm reduction unit, said: “Some of these substances are ten times stronger than the drugs they are trying to emulate.

“The chances are that what you are taking is a shredded dock leaf covered in chemicals – who knows what’s in it?

“The manufacturers are sophisticated and they are one step ahead of the authorities at all times.

“The problem is there is no joined up approach to tackle this problem – it needs leadership from government and for the police, the NHS, councils and trading standards to work together.”

Alistair Bohm, from drug treatment charity Addaction, said educating young people was the key to tackling the use of legal highs.

He added: “People often wrongly believe that because they are called ‘legal’ highs that means that they have been tested and are safe when of course that’s not the case.”

He urged caution on Insp Dobson’s claims about legal high deaths outstripping heroin deaths, adding: “The number of deaths from legal highs has increased slightly each year since 2009 but it probably has more to do with the number of deaths from heroin dropping sharply.

“That said, you just don’t know what is in a legal high and they can have really volatile and unexpected effects.”