Legal highs are posing a “phenomenal” risk to an increasing number of users in Angus who are now injecting the drugs.
Local police officers told Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, that more users were now injecting new psychoactive substances (NPS).
But even hardened drug users were shocked at the effect, which was said to render the so-called legal high stronger and more addictive than heroin or cannabis.
Sergeant Grace Morrison told Mr Wheelhouse that while working in the custody area last week, of those individuals who admitted using NPS, 75% were now injecting the substance.
PC Mike Anderson said the figures were rising year-on-year and it was becoming an ever increasing medical problem.
Sergeant Nicky Forrester said: “We hear of users taking legal highs and saying ‘Whoa the effects are nothing like anything we’ve had before’.
“They are hardened drug users and (even) they are not equipped to deal with this.
“Yet there are young people not hardened by using drugs who are using legal highs. The risk is phenomenal.”
Mr Wheelhouse was on a fact finding visit to Angus to hear of the multi-agency work undertaken to address a range of crime and public safety issues.
He said: “Part of the reason I am here is that I am greatly encouraged by the proactive approach in Angus.
“NPS is a priority for the Scottish Government, from the medical point of view through to criminal justice.
“We need to get on top of this and clamp down on this.
“I’m encouraged by what is happening in Angus and thank you for what you are doing.
“I understand why the community is so concerned about it, particularly with news that injecting is going on.”
In a presentation at Angus police headquarters, Sergeant Morrison outlined the success of Operation Carinate an initiative to tackle the shop sales of legal highs under what legislation is currently available to the authorities.
Working with partner agencies, Police Scotland is using its full range of powers under existing law to investigate and disrupt the sale of NPS in Angus in response to widespread public concern about substance abuse.
Across the UK, toxicology tests detect the presence of NPS in one death every week.
NPS are cheaper than illegal drugs, they are legal and, most controversial of all, on sale and available in certain shops.
As a result, people do not fully appreciate the inherent dangers they hold.
While they are available online, users in Angus almost without exception buy them from shops.
It is not clear why, but it is suspected this is because users may not have credit or debit cards, computer access, or a home address suitable for delivery.
Police are working hard to cut off the supply to legal high users in Angus by targeting the shops concerned and the sale of NPS.
A change in legislation to make “legal highs” illegal would greatly help their cause.
An expert legal group, set up by the Scottish Government last summer, will report back to Mr Wheelhouse in March.
At yesterday’s meeting he was reminded that a change in legislation in Ireland in 2010 resulted in 102 legal high shops “virtually disappearing”, as it became illegal to advertise, supply, import or export psychoactive substances.
Chief Inspector Gordon Milne remains appalled that such substances can be freely and openly peddled to young people from main shopping thoroughfares in Scotland.
He said: “I cannot accept a situation where shops of this type can advertise a ‘Buy one get one free’ on these types of substances, or offer loyalty cards to their customers. And yet that is what happens.”