SUICIDE is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the use of so-called legal highs has become the norm for many of Scotland’s young people.

These controversial mind-altering substances are a big problem in our communities and people are dying because they believe that the word “legal” means safe. But they couldn’t be more wrong.

Deaths where New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) had been taken rose to 114 in 2014 from just four in 2009.

Ambulances were called out on average six times a day to deal with cases involving legal highs, with callouts in 2014 increasing by 1,386 per cent over the five-year period – so it is not a new phenomenon.

However, it is only now that the UK Government has agreed to introduce a new law to ban production, distribution, sale and supply of these drugs. This has been postponed over problems with defining psychoactive substances.

There is not enough research being done to investigate a link between these drugs, which are designed to mimic the effects of controlled drugs, with suicide, depression and other mental health issues.

Aileen Connor, Michael's aunt, understands that young people want to experiment and doesn’t want to judge but she fears there is not enough information out there about the risks to allow for proper decisions.

She also thinks more needs to be done to tackle the rising rate of young men in Scotland taking their own lives with more awareness and support to help banish the stigma of talking about mental health issues.

The Scottish Government says the overall rate has reduced by 17.8 per cent between 2000 and 2014 but rates among young men are still too high.

Choose Life co-ordinators have been recruited to the majority of Scottish local authorities, helping to plan and direct suicide prevention work tailored to local needs. According to Aileen, therapists washed their hands of her nephew when he turned to them for help. We must do more.