West Yorkshire Warning Over Herbal Highs

13 February 2012, 16:49 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

There is a renewed warning over so called legal highs after 4 young people from a school in Kirklees suffered potentially serious health effects after smoking a herbal substance marketed as 'Black Mamba '.

One of the 4 young people who smoked the mixture was very close to loosing consciousness as well as being sick and generally unwell, fortunately on this occasion the 4 pupils, after being taken to a local hospital, were discharged.

Bryan Dent, Force Drugs Co-ordinator for West Yorkshire Police, said: "These substances by being commonly referred to as 'legal highs' give a completely false context to the issue, they should be best described as ' toxic substances ' - because that's what they are - toxic."

"Although not covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act and are on the face of it legal - they are not safe and are often very toxic. Black Mamba is a herbal concoction which mimics the effects of Cannabis, and although people purchase it from so called Head Shops and the internet, the consumer does not know what the substance actually contains or has been treated with."

"Taking this toxic substance could have ended in tragedy for the individuals and their families."