A CACHE of used cartridges of ‘hippy crack’ party drug nitrous oxide was found on heathland by Farnham town and borough councillor John ‘Scotty’ Fraser this week, as an upsurge in police incidents relating to legal highs was revealed.

Mr Fraser was doing a litter pick near his home in Alma Lane, Upper Hale, when he discovered a pile of empty cartridges of laughing gas discarded along a popular path with walkers. He has also cleared Six Bells roundabout of caches of discarded cartridges on two separate occasions.

The mounting impact of ‘legal highs’ on police forces across England was revealed this week ahead of a blanket ban on the products, which will come into effect in weeks. Inhaling laughing gas is currently legal but it is illegal to sell it to anyone aged under 18.

Freedom of Information responses obtained by the BBC showed the range of anti-social behaviour and crime associated with ‘hippy crack’ and other party drugs, with an upsurge in incidents since 2011.

The psychoactive drugs contain various chemical ingredients, some of which have already been made illegal while others have not. They produce similar effects to illegal drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.

Figures from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Nigel Newcomen revealed there were 39 fatalities behind bars linked to legal highs between June 2013 and June 2015, compared with 19 recorded between April 2012 and September 2014.

Last year, Brighton student Aaron Dunford, 22, died after inhaling laughing gas.

Dr Paul Seddon, a respiratory paediatrician at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, said the dangers of the drug could not be underestimated.

“If you’ve had a lot to drink, particularly, you can vomit and inhale the vomit,” he said. “Secondly, it’s a molecule that pushes oxygen out of the lungs, so if you breathe pure nitrous oxide you can get into a situation where there isn’t enough oxygen getting to the brain. Most of the acute/sudden deaths that have happened, they’ve probably happened because of a lack of oxygen to the brain.”

A blanket ban on legal highs is due to come into force on May 26 , through The Psychoactive Substances Act.

Home Office Minister Karen Bradley said: “Psychoactive substances shatter lives and we owe it to all those who have lost loved ones to do everything we can to eradicate this abhorrent trade.”

Mr Fraser told The Herald: “I was shocked to find people are inhaling a poisonous gas that is essentially diesel fumes and I’m sure fellow Farnham town councillors would agree with me.

“I have found three caches over the last three weeks and I suspect there are many more. Only when someone dies is any notice taken of the danger.

“The police won’t be able to take any action until the act comes into force. We really need a legal system that’s quicker on its feet.”

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “With regards to the nitrous oxide canisters which are being abused as Novel Psychoactive Substances, the police are somewhat limited in the action they can take as they are not a ‘controlled substance’ as it stands under the Misuse of Drugs Act at present.

“However it is an offence under the Intoxicating Substances Act to supply these to persons under the age of 18. Therefore guidance is given that if a group is seen with these then they should be approached. If there is anyone in the group who is under 18 or there is any suspicion that they are going to give them to a person under 18 then the canisters should be seized and any potential offences identified.

“Surrey Police works very closely with Trading Standards on the issue of NPS supply and use in general and to try to remove these dangerous items, including nitrous oxide from sale in Surrey, using alternative civil legislation such as the General Product Safety Regulations which falls under the Trading Standards umbrella.

“Members of the public who find the canisters are urged to notify the council for collection if they don’t wish to dispose of them themselves. It would also be helpful if they could notify police of where they found them so that police and partners can implement harm reduction or crime prevention measures where appropriate.

“Anyone using nitrous oxide can present a danger to themselves as the gas can make them disoriented and dizzy with a loss of feeling or numbness, therefore leaving them at risk of serious injury while under the influence. It can also lead to unconsciousness and death from oxygen deprivation.

“Therefore if members of the public see someone abusing this substance and they are concerned in any way for their safety, then they should always call emergency services for assistance.”