Safety campaigners have heralded the launch of a legal highs awareness campaign in Peterhead as a success.
There has been growing public concern over the use of 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 week the Apex Church hosted an awareness evening with the local safety group and community wardens.
Councillor Anne Allan, a member of the Buchan Community Safety Group, said: “We had 80 or 90 people which was very good. It was a very interesting evening and a lot of information was given out.
“It was about raising awareness, particularly with parents of young people. Obviously it’s not just young people who take it – in fact it tends to be older people – but it’s a subject not of lot of people know about.
“You just don’t know what you’re getting and it’s going to be a big problem. We’re just at the start of it really up here. But the awareness event was very successful.”
Mrs Allan said she hopes the awareness scheme can now be rolled out across Buchan with other safety groups. The community groups will now meet next week.
Traders are entitled under the current law to sell these substances, which are marked as not for human consumption.