This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-32820167
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Synthetic high hospitalises Lancaster University students | Synthetic high hospitalises Lancaster University students |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Five students are in hospital, two of them in a critical condition, after taking a synthetic cannabis substitute. | |
| Lancaster University sent out an alert on Twitter just after 21:00 BST. | |
| It said the group had fallen ill after taking the drug Spice and urged people to check on their friends and call 999 if necessary. | |
| Ambulances were called to student halls between 18:00 and 19:00, according to Lancaster University's student paper. | Ambulances were called to student halls between 18:00 and 19:00, according to Lancaster University's student paper. |
| Vicky Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for the university, told the Guardian that police had called university authorities to tell them that the students had been taken to the Royal Lancaster Hospital. | Vicky Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for the university, told the Guardian that police had called university authorities to tell them that the students had been taken to the Royal Lancaster Hospital. |
| "We've got five students who have been taken to hospital with a suspicion that they had taken the drug," she said. | "We've got five students who have been taken to hospital with a suspicion that they had taken the drug," she said. |
| "Of the five, we know that two of them are seriously ill." | "Of the five, we know that two of them are seriously ill." |
| It is understood the five students all knew each other. | It is understood the five students all knew each other. |
| Spice is a plant-based mix which is coated with synthetic chemicals that work on the same part of the brain as the active ingredient in cannabis. | Spice is a plant-based mix which is coated with synthetic chemicals that work on the same part of the brain as the active ingredient in cannabis. |
| It was among a number of legal highs outlawed in 2009 amid growing concerns they posed a threat to users' health. | |
| According to drug advice service Frank, side effects of synthetic cannabinoids can include an elevated heart rate, sickness, and hallucinations. |