Special clinics to help people addicted to legal highs have been set-up in Brighton and Hove, The Argus can reveal.

Health and social care charity CRI confirmed it had just opened two drop-in centres in St George’s Place, Brighton, and The Drive, Hove, to address the increased use of legal highs in the city.

A spokeswoman from CRI said it was believed these were the first clinics of their kind in the UK, while a drugs worker for the charity said they had been set up because the need was there.

He said: “While previously people had come in addicted to opiates and crack cocaine, increasingly people are approaching us reliant on legal highs such as spice, Pandora’s box and others.

“These can be bought for £15 to £20 and are not illegal – but that doesn’t mean they’re not harmful.”

CRI is working in partnership with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

CRI, speaking on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police, said the clinics provided people with the “support, information, advice and help they need”.

The clinics will help people kick their legal high habits by providing access to “structured treatment”.

Michael Lawrence from CRI says: “Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) otherwise known as ‘legal highs’ or ‘club drugs’ have changed the local drug scene hugely over the past year.

“The assumption people make is because they are legal they must be safe, but that isn’t the case.

“We hope by setting up this new service we will encourage more people to seek advice prior to taking anything.

“We have seen many people come in shocked at the type of experience they have had with NPS, which has often led them into risky situations.

“Some have ended up in A&E or have been arrested.

“We just don’t know enough about the long-term effects of any of the ‘legal highs’, but even the short-term effects can be extremely dangerous.

“We’d advise people not to start using these untested substances at all, but to be fully informed if you do choose to take them.”

So far there have only been a few meetings, but they have been well attended, a CRI spokesman said.

Brighton medical student Hester Stewart, 21, died in 2009 after taking the then-legal drug GBL.

Hester, originally from Lewes, was found dead at a house in Patcham.

Since her death her mother Maryon Stewart has set up the Angelus Foundation in her daughter’s memory, calling for information about legal highs.

Yesterday, mother Emma Holloway spoke after her 14-year-old son Connor, of Southampton, remained in a coma for 12 hours after taking a legal high called Sensate.

Legal highs killed 99 people in Britain last year, although specific Sussex figures are not available.

The clinics are on Wednesdays between 5pm and 8pm at 11 St Georges Place, Brighton, and Thursdays between 5pm and 8pm, at 9 The Drive, Hove.

If anyone would like free advice about this or any other drug problem then call CRI on 07793619993 or go to www.thinkdrinkdrugs.co.uk.