Drugs body's legal high fear

The chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has admitted it is concerned about the "legal high" Ivory Wave.

In August 20 people in the Lothians were hospitalised in one week after taking the substance, which is sold legally for about 15 a packet, and advertised as relaxing bath salts.

Professor Les Iversen, chairman of the ACMD, said the council hoped to find out more about Ivory Wave, with a view to providing the Government with a full recommendation on control under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Prof Iversen said: "We have been concerned by reports from the south-west of England and Scotland of users of Ivory Wave reporting to accident and emergency services with rather severe symptoms.

"In the case in Edinburgh they dealt with a number of users of Ivory Wave who had severe agitation and psychosis, agitation lasting several days and agitation so severe that some of these people had to be physically restrained and injected with sedatives.

"This is not a nice party drug - it's really quite dangerous."