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Two students remain in hospital after using Spice drug Two students remain in hospital after using Spice drug
(35 minutes later)
Two Lancaster University students who were admitted to hospital after using a cannabis substitute remain in a conscious and stable condition. Two Lancaster University students who were admitted to hospital after using a cannabis substitute remain in a conscious and stable condition. The first-year undergraduates were taken to hospital on Wednesday after using Spice, one of the UK’s most common synthetic highs. Three other students were also admitted for treatment but have been discharged.
The first-year undergraduates were taken to hospital on Wednesday after using spice, one of the UK’s most common synthetic highs. Three other students were also admitted for treatment but have been discharged.
“Due to the serious condition of the students and the fact the substance could not be confirmed as legal, officers attended the university to carry out a search of the students’ rooms,” Lancaster University said. “Inquiries are ongoing to identify the exact nature of the substance.”“Due to the serious condition of the students and the fact the substance could not be confirmed as legal, officers attended the university to carry out a search of the students’ rooms,” Lancaster University said. “Inquiries are ongoing to identify the exact nature of the substance.”
The university posted an alert on its Twitter account shortly after 9pm on Wednesday asking all students to check on friends and to call for an ambulance if any were ill. The students were taken to hospital after ambulances were called to student halls between 6pm and 7pm, according to Scan, Lancaster University’s student paper. The university posted an alert on its Twitter account shortly after 9pm on Wednesday asking all students to check on friends and to call for an ambulance if any were ill.
Urgent message: Several students have been hospitalised today after taking legal high Spice – please check on friends and call 999 if neededUrgent message: Several students have been hospitalised today after taking legal high Spice – please check on friends and call 999 if needed
Vicky Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for the university, said 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. Of the five, we know that two of them are seriously ill,” she said.Vicky Tyrrell, a spokeswoman for the university, said 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. Of the five, we know that two of them are seriously ill,” she said.
The students were taken to hospital after ambulances were called to student halls between 6pm and 7pm, according to Scan, Lancaster University’s student paper. The university also contacted students to warn them against using Spice. “It is extremely important, if you have taken the drug, to call 999 immediately and call for an ambulance. Please also check on anyone you think may have taken it,” the email, seen by Scan, said.
The university also contacted students to warn them against using spice. “It is extremely important if you have taken the drug to call 999 immediately and call for an ambulance. Please also check on anyone you think may have taken it,” the email, seen by Scan, said.
Spice is one of a growing multitude of brand names for synthetic cannabis – designer chemicals that mimic the drug’s psychoactive effects. It is designed to have a structure similar to THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, and binds to the same receptors in the brain to produce, in theory, a similar high.Spice is one of a growing multitude of brand names for synthetic cannabis – designer chemicals that mimic the drug’s psychoactive effects. It is designed to have a structure similar to THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, and binds to the same receptors in the brain to produce, in theory, a similar high.
The products typically come in the form of herbs sprayed with the chemicals and do not necessarily smell like cannabis when smoked. At least some varieties of such drugs are shown to bind more strongly to brain receptors than natural cannabinoids, potentially explaining reports of unpredictable effects such as heart palpitations, anxiety and acute psychosis. The products typically come in the form of herbs sprayed with the chemicals and do not necessarily smell like cannabis when smoked. At least some varieties are shown to bind more strongly to brain receptors than natural cannabinoids, potentially explaining reports of unpredictable effects such as heart palpitations, anxiety and acute psychosis.
Although banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act, spice and similar drugs can be bought on the internet, with China and the far east the main areas of production. Although banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act, Spice and similar drugs can be bought on the internet, with China and the far east the main areas of production.
DrugScope said there were no figures on the extent of spice’s use but the number of sites selling the drug before the ban suggested a substantial user base in the UK and elsewhere. DrugScope said there were no figures on the extent of Spice’s use, but the number of sites selling the drug before the ban suggested a substantial user base in the UK and elsewhere.
A joint statement from Lancashire Constabulary, Lancaster University, Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS), Lancaster city council, Lancashire county council, and Public Health England, said that while full forensic tests are to be carried out to try to establish exactly what the substance was, it was impossible to determine at this stage whether any criminal offences have been committed. A joint statement from Lancashire Constabulary, Lancaster University, Lancashire North Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS), Lancaster city council, Lancashire county council, and Public Health England said that while full forensic tests are yet to be carried out to try to establish exactly what the substance was, it was impossible to determine at this stage whether any criminal offences had been committed.
“Many chemicals found in synthetic cannabinoids are illegal and there is no way to know what these drugs contain when purchased, or how dangerous they can be,” they said. “Many chemicals found in synthetic cannabinoids are illegal and there is no way to know what these drugs contained when purchased, or how dangerous they can be,” they said.
Supt Peter Lawson added: “All our inquiries lead us to believe that this was an isolated incident confined to these five individuals and that no others are involved or have been affected.“Thankfully these young men do not appear to have suffered any long-lasting effects but they were very ill and the outcome could have been very different. Our advice on new psychoactive substance remains that people should not take them as they will simply have no idea what they could contain.” Supt Peter Lawson added: “All our inquiries lead us to believe that this was an isolated incident confined to these five individuals and that no others are involved or have been affected. Thankfully, these young men do not appear to have suffered any long-lasting effects, but they were very ill, and the outcome could have been very different. Our advice on new psychoactive substance remains that people should not take them as they will simply have no idea what they could contain.”