A campaign to warn youngsters about “evil” legal highs has been launched in Peterhead.
There is growing public concern in the town about the substances – known officially as new psychoactive substances – which are readily available in the town.
Now community leaders have teamed up with the police to alert parents to the true dangers of the drugs.
Last night, community warden Ian Kennedy said: “We felt it was important to the general public to know the background to this problem.
“And it is a big problem – especially for secondary school kids.”
Mr Kennedy said he and his colleague Cathy Ramsey saw half a dozen people buying NPS yesterday alone.
“They are readily available. People just have no idea what is in these things. There are people, right back to the source, making money off of these evil drugs.”
An awareness event will now be held at the Apex Church on Thursday night.
Mr Kennedy added: “Hopefully Thursday’s event will help people understand the term ‘legal highs’ is hugely misleading – these things can kill.”
The Buchan community safety group are working alongside the wardens and police on the issue.
Last night chairman Sandy Allan said: “The whole issue is making people aware of the dangers of these substances, because nobody knows what they actually are.
“The public concern is that they’re being sold openly. The traders who are selling them know full well that people aren’t buying them to water the garden.
“If somebody’s selling cocaine or heroin, that’s illegal – end of story. What we’re trying to get across to the public is that traders are perfectly entitled under the current law to see these substances.
“That’s part of the problem and makes the policing aspect very difficult.”
Last night a police spokeswoman added: “Thursday evening’s event will consist of short presentations and there will be a question and answer session.
“At the end of the evening, a substance misuse worker from Aberdeenshire Council will be present to take direct referrals for those who are seeking help.”