12-year-old one of two treated after taking ‘legal high’ drugs

A teenage girl has been treated in hospital and a 12-year-old boy was reported ill after consuming “legal high” drugs.

• Police investigating theft of legal highs from Nairn shop

The latest scares on Orkney and in the Highland town of Nairn sparked fresh warnings from the police and health officials.

They also come just six months after 19-year-old Alex Herriot, from Edinburgh, died at the RockNess Festival near Inverness after taking a substance known as Benzo Fury, which causes effect similar to ecstasy.

Northern Constabulary are currently investigating the theft of legal highs from a shop in Nairn last week.

Conor Sutherland, who owns the Partay Patrol fancy dress and novelty shop in Nairn and sells legal hights, said he was shocked a 12-year-old had managed to obtain the substance.

But he insisted he sells the £25-a-packet products as incense and that they were clearly marked “not for consumption”, adding that he would continue selling them.

Sergeant Ruth Ross, community safety officer for Northern Constabulary, said: “Taking “legal highs” carries enormous risks, whether taken on their own or combined with alcohol.

“We would urge people not to take any unknown substance, whether described as “legal” or not, as their contents cannot be verified and will often contain dangerous chemicals.