Five overdose on 'bubbles' drug

Tayside Police said those caught with the drug could be arrested

Doctors in Dundee have issued a warning about the legal high drug 'bubbles' after five people suffered non-fatal overdoses last weekend in the city.

NHS Tayside said that while all those affected had recovered, two people had been admitted to Ninewells Hospital.

The drug, which has mephedrone as its main ingredient, is a psychoactive drug sold as an alternative to ecstasy.

Police said its dangers could be amplified when mixed with other substances, including alcohol.

Although not currently a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Tayside Police said anyone caught with mephedrone could still be arrested.

They also warned that home-made bubbles could vary in content leading to "more serious" charges for those caught with it.

Reported effects from the drug include increased heart rate, agitation, irritability, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, as well increased blood pressure.

People who develop such symptoms are urged to seek medical assistance immediately.

Mephedrone was linked to the death of an 18-year-old girl in Sweden in December last year.

The drug is now illegal in Israel, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Psychiatrists in the UK have lobbied for it to be banned here.

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