Twenty more legal high incidents in the North East over the weekend

North East Ambulance Service has reissued a warning today after the number of patients calling for emergency help after taking so-called ‘legal highs’ increased again over the weekend.

Since Friday, NEAS dealt with 20 incidents – including one cardiac arrest - bringing the total since 1st January to 292 calls.

Individuals who have used legal highs have suffered symptoms ranging from seizures, unconsciousness, shortness of breath, vomiting, aggression, palpitations, agitation and foaming at the mouth.

Most of the incidents have happened in the West End area of Newcastle, but there have also been cases in Blyth, Sunderland and Gateshead.

An ambulance was sent to each of the calls.

Head of Resilience and Special Operations, Simon Swallow, said: “There have been a worrying number of calls for patients experiencing potential life-threatening symptoms as a result of taking legal highs.

“These so-called legal highs are not safe to use and carry a serious health risk. The chemicals they contain have in most cases never been used before in drugs for human consumption and these incidents in Newcastle are putting people’s lives at risk.”

Mr Swallow added: “We raised our operational status to “Severe Pressure” in December as result of growing demand on the service during winter and these call-outs are putting an additional burden on our service by preventing us from being available to attend other life-threatening emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes.

“We are urging people NOT to take these so-called legal highs as they are putting their own lives in danger and also endangering the lives of others because these calls are potentially delaying our response to someone else who is suffering a heart attack or other life-threatening condition.”

ENDS

For more information please contact the NEAS Press Office on 0191 430 2099