UK - Annihilation legal high leaves nine in hospital

edgarshade

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BBC News

6 October 2012 Last updated at 13:26

Police have warned about the use of a "legal high" substance that has left nine people in hospital in the past three months.

They said Annihilation, described as herbal incense, is being used predominately by young people in and around Glasgow.

The most recent cases came on Wednesday, when three people became ill after taking it at the same time.

Symptoms can include increased heart rate, numbness and unconsciousness.

The longest that anyone affected by the substance has been kept in hospital was overnight, and that was for observations.

Strathclyde Police said Annihilation was one of many psychoactive substances they been made aware of in recent months.

Det Insp Jim Bradley, Glasgow City Centre Police Office, said it was important people understood the risks associated with taking substances such as Annihilation.
Medical attention

He added: "Just because it's legal, doesn't mean it's safe. No one can predict the risks involved.

"Those who have taken the drug have experienced adverse health effects, including increased heart rate, unconsciousness, numbness in legs causing collapse, paranoia, aggression and self harming.

"The symptoms appear, in some cases, to last for several hours.

"Users can never be sure what they are taking or what the serious consequences can be. The adverse effects on an individual's health are not known but there is potential for short term or long term harm from these substances."

He also warned users against mixing Annihilation with any other legal highs, or with drugs or alcohol, as the consequences could be even more severe.

Anyone suffering from adverse effects after taking any legal high substance should seek immediate medical attention, the officer said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-19856505
 
I feel like it takes a real prick to sell some unknown chemical branded as something its not, to ignorant teens looking for cheap thrills and ending in the hospital. Also I feel like kids need to stop eating/sniffing/shooting things that they have no real information on. Dangerous shit leads to problems down the road, even if it feels benign at the time.
 
thats terrible id hate to hit a herbal incense and go unconscious

makes me angry at 'the man' more than kids though, dodgy mixture shit should be illegal and cannabis legal
 
I feel like it takes a real prick to sell some unknown chemical branded as something its not, to ignorant teens looking for cheap thrills and ending in the hospital. Also I feel like kids need to stop eating/sniffing/shooting things that they have no real information on. Dangerous shit leads to problems down the road, even if it feels benign at the time.

Its not just kids. Young adults and yes in smaller numbers adults are looking to find legal ways other than alcohol or cigarettes to produce a high, as well as the teenagers who are attracted to legal high. In some ways I find a little more sympathy for kids because likely they are avoiding getting in trouble with parents or authorities by using these routes. They can consume unknown drugs via unregulated "legal highs" rather than using potentially less dangerous illegal alternatives that have been around for decades if not a century+ for some drugs. Also Instead of harm reduction, these kids are taught only that these so called "legal highs" are deadly/dangerous and to avoid them like the plague (terrible name to try and use in propaganda to prevent their use). Most don't take the time to realize the potential concerns about consuming unknown unregulated drug products particularly like people who frequent bluelight or other drug forums, especially when they are "legal highs" (in name and ways function [quasi-legal]). They aren't young adults or older adults who should know just by the concept of "legal highs" that they are probably not a very smart thing to ingest, especially when they can purchase alcohol or illegal drugs where they can at least in some ways better control what they are putting into their body. Blame the kids, but also look around and blame everyone else for helping it become this way, as well creating a culture where kids feel the need to take whatever steps they need to feel comfortable in deciding to use a product to get high to avoid parents/authorities knowing or being able in their mind get them in trouble. Its also adults often feeding these markets with these so called legal highs because it means fast cash and a fat wallet.
 
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Yea thats the truth. I meant kids as in people who are ignorant to the dangers, in my eyes being a 'kid' has nothing to do with age in that sense haha, also kinda high so maybe that logic is odd. Totally agree though, societies lack of quality information about drugs of abuse, both legal and illegal (quasi-legal too).
 
^ I've picked up he/she is sarcastic in alot of their comments, I think?
 
I'd say drinking alcohol is safer than ingesting unknown chemicals in unknown quantities
 
alcohol in moderation is safer than many legal highs (just my opinion)

its been in use for a looooooooooooooong time and has been studied up the whazoo for any concerns
 
alcohol in moderation is safer than many legal highs (just my opinion)

its been in use for a looooooooooooooong time and has been studied up the whazoo for any concerns

There are many people who have died from alcohol, even over those who have died from legal or illegal drugs, and all produced by the carelessness and ignorance of consumers, which is not good or bad we have to try, there are always people who do silly things, not the fault of the companies that sell it, if someone kills someone with a hammer is not the fault of Home Depot ...
 
none of these synthetic cannibinoids or research stimulants would even have been made if it weren't for this ridiculous "War On Drugs"... I find it quite amusing that the drugs deemed 'illegal' by governments are usually the safest drugs out there...
 
Confused article. They think that because a website says something is "sold out" that it means it is selling like hot-cakes. More likely the vendor pulled it off the shelves and either the website software only gives the option to say "sold out" or they don't want to openly say that they pulled it.

Scottish Daily Record

'Legal high' Annihilation sells out online after putting nine Scots in hospital

By John Ferguson
9 Oct 2012 00:01

TWO well-known websites which sell Annihilation had sold out the drug yesterday, despite police warning users of the dangers involved.

A “LEGAL HIGH” drug which has put nine Scots in hospital has sold out online despite warnings of the harm it can cause. Two well-known websites which had been selling Annihilation had none on offer yesterday. One, which had been selling the drug for £28.19 in three-gram packs with a picture of an atomic explosion on the front, said the drug was “out of stock”. The other said it was “currently unavailable”.

Police warned last week of the dangers of using Annihilation. They said it can cause unconsciousness, paranoia, aggression and self-harming. The Strathclyde force believe the psychoactive drug is being used predominantly by youngsters in Glasgow. Nine people have been hospitalised in the last three months, with three friends all needing treatment on one day – Wednesday last week. All the victims were later allowed home.

Websites selling the drug suggest it should be burned like incense in a room rather than smoked directly.

More...
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/legal-drug-annihilation-sells-out-1368043
 
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