'Take care' warning after five people hospitalised by legal high

Health chiefs have issued advice after five people were taken to hospital after taking a ‘legal high’.

The five, all from Bury, collapsed after suffering an adverse reaction to the substance known as Spice.

Spice is one of the New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) often misleadingly referred to as ‘legal highs’ that pose a challenge for healthcare services, the police and local authorities nationally. NPSs have the same or similar effects as drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Side effects can include heart palpitations, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, panic attacks and psychosis although specific effects are not always known. In many cases they are designed to mimic Class A drugs, but are structurally different enough to avoid them being classified as illegal substances.

Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “In Bury we are working to educate people about the side effects and consequences of selling or taking NPSs and the related harms. We are working with partners like the police, trading standards and providers to try to build up evidence and to establish a co-ordinated multi-agency approach that will work consistently across the whole of Bury.”

Early Break and One Recovery Bury (young people and adult drug and alcohol services) are continually responding to shifting trends in young people and adult substance use. The current largest change has been in the increase in the use of NPSs and, in response to this, both services have responded on a variety of levels:

• Workforce have received up-to-date training to ensure workers are as informed as possible
• Early Break have produced literature about NPSs with the aim of informing as many people as possible about the effects and risks associated with these substances
• Both providers are keen to listen to what service users have to say and respond to local intelligence to ensure young people are as informed as possible.
• For professionals wishing to learn more about NPSs, Early Break now delivers training on NPSs.

Due to the speed and growth of the NPS market and also how quickly substances are changing it is important to ensure people are aware of the risks involved if taken.

The government is considering a blanket ban on NPSs, which would mean that selling newly-created or newly-used drugs that can cause effects in mood, perception or consciousness would be illegal, with a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment.

If you would like further information about legal highs, or have concerns about a family member, friend or someone you know then please contact either the Early Break Service on0161 723 3880 or via Facebook Early Break UK for young people aged under 18 years old, or for adults please contact One Recovery Bury on 0161 253 6488.

ENDS

Press release issued: 21 July 2015.