Dangers of legal highs exposed as spaced-out users black out and collapse in video released by police

The dangers of legal highs have been exposed by police after releasing a videos of people's reactions to the drugs.

Cheshire police published the footage in an attempt to raise awareness of the dramatic potential effects of legal highs.

Legal highs aren’t as innocent as their name suggests.

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A post on their website tells viewers, "Legal highs aren’t as innocent as their name suggests. The effects can often leave users looking lifeless, often in the middle of busy towns and shopping centres."

This statement is backed up by footage within the video, as people are seen collapsing as the drugs render them unable to stand up.

Police also use the words of an ex-user to dsicourage people from taking them, who says “People think that legal highs are harmless, but they are truly addictive substances.

"You can never re-create that initial buzz you get from your first hit, so you’re forever chasing the dragon. What was once a fairly cheap addiction could result in you spending £100’s a week.”

A senior Paramedic believes the term 'legal high' is ultimately misleading, lulling users into believing the product safe.

“These substances are not designed for human consumption and people should not be fooled into thinking they are safe because of their nickname, " says Senior Paramedic Wayne Pemberton.

Figures how that the number of deaths from legal highs in the UK rose from 10 in 2009 to 68 in 2012.

In Scotland alone last year, 114 deaths were recorded while on average ambulances were called out six times a day for cases involving legal highs.