Young people have been warned not to take legal highs on Hogmanay because it would be a “grave mistake” to believe they were safe.
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jenny Marra urged parents to hammer the message home that consuming such substances could have serious consequences on health.
Legal highs, or New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), which are often packaged and sold under the guise of plant food, can be legally purchased over the internet and at licensed shops across the country.
Official figures show there were 113 deaths in 2013 where NPS were present, compared with 47 in 2012.
NPS were implicated in 60 deaths compared with 32 in 2012, but other substances were also implicated in 55.
Ms Marra said: “There seems to be a mistaken belief that these legal highs don’t have dangerous consequences, but this is a grave mistake.
“The rate of deaths and overdoses from legal highs have increased dramatically.
“Teenagers have to recognise the dangers associated with these substances.
“This New Year, when people are getting together for parties, young people have to know that these highs are dangerous and potentially life threatening.”
Ms Marra said Labour was concerned about the apparent lack of reporting on legal highs in hospital accident and emergency departments.
She claimed the situation meant doctors cannot share information and best practice, therefore there are “no clear indicators or a complete picture” on the prevalence and impact of legal highs.
Ms Marra said: “What we do know is that those who have died have done so from heart attacks, multiple organ shutdown, and kidney failure leading to internal bleeding.
“Serotonin toxicity has sent patients into states of catatonic shock – causing them to lash out and harm the hospital staff trying to care for them.”
Ms Marra said Labour wanted the Scottish Government to roll out a reporting system used by the NHS in Wales to help understand “the scope of the dangerous problem” and save lives.
A Scottish Government spokesman said that while drug legislation was a matter for Westminster, it was taking a “proactive approach” to tackling NPS.
He added that an expert legal group had been established to examine the current legislation around sale and supply and a research group had been set up to look at prevalence and harm.
The spokesman said: “We are committed to working closely with the UK Government and sharing our knowledge and evidence to inform policy.
“All patients, whether presenting with problems from the use of legal or illegal drugs, are offered appropriate treatment as well as confidential help and support when they attend at A&E departments.”