A 13-year-old Angus boy sounded like a “dog being tortured” as he suffered a seizure from taking a so-called legal high.
That claim from Arbroath mother Beth Spink, 23, was one of a raft of horror stories revealed by parents at a specially-convened meeting in the town on Wednesday.
North East MSP Alex Johnstone was at the Cafe Project on Brothock Bridge to discuss how the spiralling use of new psychoactive substances sold as “research chemicals” can be tackled.
More than 30 parents, teachers and community workers attended the heated meeting, expressing a mix of confusion and concern over how outlets known as “head shops” can continue to sell products that have been implicated in a series of UK drugs deaths.
Ms Spink said: “My friend saw a teenager lying on the ground having a fit after taking a legal high. She said they looked and sounded like they were possessed.”
Jane Hannigan, who works with unemployed young people, said the issue is not confined to Arbroath.
“We cover Arbroath, Brechin, Montrose and all across Angus, and this has spread across the board.
“There is a small group of around 20 who are quite open in saying what they have taken. They are always agitated.
“All they are concerned about is getting their money and getting their drugs.
“We had one of them lying outside our Montrose office unconscious. They had taken too much and didn’t know what it was they were taking.”
Parent Graeme Gersok, who owns the Town House bar in Arbroath, is planning to write to all MSPs to push for legislation.
“I have children who are 12 and five, so I have real concerns about this,” he said.
“Through my business I know how many regulations I have to comply with, so why should these shops be any different?”
The meeting followed a series of protests by church groups earlier this year, held outside shops that sell legal highs alongside drugs paraphernalia.
Mr Johnstone said: “These so-called legal highs are untested and dangerous, and we have no idea what effects they might have.
“I will be contacting the Scottish Government to ask for further information. As far as I’m aware we simply don’t have any information on how many people have had seizures or been admitted to hospital as a result of taking these substances.”
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather plans to table a motion instructing the chief executive of Angus Council to write to the Scottish Government seeking clarification on how shops selling legal highs can be shut down.
One parent brought along a copy of a booklet that was distributed to teachers at Arbroath Academy during a recent training session. It detailed the effects that psycho- active substances have on the body and behaviour.
Arbroath councillor Ewan Smith said: “There are shops springing up in every town but action does have to start somewhere and it’s clear a lot of people are upset that these shops are in their communities.”
A teacher, who asked not to be named, said: “We have got to give children the tools to be able to say no to these new drugs.”