WARNINGS have been issued on the dangers of legal highs after a Ribble Valley girl was taken to hospital after collapsing while out with friends.

The 15-year-old was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital on Friday night after taking the legal high known as ‘Happy Joker’.

The Ribblesdale High Sch-ool pupil stayed the night in hospital, and was well enough to return home the following day.

Lancashire Police have war-ned against the ‘unpredictable’ side-effects of the ‘uncontrolled substances’.

The police have also said that ‘clever people’ are mak-ing ‘a lot of money’ by selling drugs under the misnomer legal highs which ‘may in fact pose a risk to people’s health’.

The teenager’s friend, Sofie Cottam, 19, said: “I think people have to learn what it is they are taking, and how it affects your body.

“I don’t agree on any legal drugs, and taking drugs that aren’t for humans is silly.

“I don’t think people really read what stuff like this can do to you, so I think she had an extremely lucky escape. Not enough is being done to educate teenagers on the dangers of legal highs.”

A spokeswoman from Lancashire Police said: “Just because a substance is sold in a shop, or on the internet, as 'legal' does not mean it is legal, or safe and, sadly, there are clever people out there making a lot of money by selling drugs under the misnomer ‘legal highs’ which may, in fact, pose a risk to people’s health.

“The reality is that many of these products either contain controlled substances which are illegal, or uncontrolled substances whose side-effects cannot be predicted.”

PC Justin Brown, from Clitheroe police, said: “This is not for human consumption.

“Please be aware that you do not always know what you are taking.”