HEALTH chiefs have issued advice after five people were taken to hospital after taking a "legal high".

The five, all from Bury, collapsed after suffering an adverse reaction to the substance known as Spice. It is understood there were two separate incidents, one last week when four people were taken to hospital and one the previous weekend when one person was taken to A&E. It is believed all five were later released.

Spice is one of the New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) often misleadingly referred to as "legal highs’ that pose a challenge for healthcare services, the police and local authorities nationally. NPSs have the same or similar effects as drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Side effects can include heart palpitations, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, panic attacks and psychosis although specific effects are not always known. In many cases they are designed to mimic Class A drugs, but are structurally different enough to avoid them being classified as illegal substances.

Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health, said: “In Bury we are working to educate people about the side effects and consequences of selling or taking NPSs and the related harms. We are working with partners like the police, trading standards and providers to try to build up evidence and to establish a co-ordinated multi-agency approach that will work consistently across the whole of Bury.”

Early Break and One Recovery Bury (young people and adult drug and alcohol services) are continually responding to shifting trends in young people and adult substance use. The current largest change has been in the increase in the use of NPSs and, in response to this, both services have responded on a variety of levels.

If you would like further information about legal highs, or have concerns about a family member, friend or someone you know then please contact either the Early Break Service on 0161 723 3880 or via Facebook Early Break UK for young people aged under 18 years old, or for adults please contact One Recovery Bury on 0161 253 6488.