Two hospitalised after taking legal highs in Stirling

Police have warned about the dangers of legal highs after two people in Stirling were hospitalised.

An 18-year-old man fell ill earlier this week after ingesting a legal high substance. He was treated at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

The following day a 26-year-old woman fell and suffered a head injury after taking a legal high.

Police described the consumption of these types of substances as "a dangerous game of chance".

Neither the man nor the woman suffered life-threatening injuries and both were said to be recovering well.

Harmful substances

Police said legal highs, sometimes referred to as herbal highs, plant food or research chemicals, are psychoactive drugs and often contain a mix of unknown substances, many of which could be dangerous.

Ch Supt David Flynn said: "Anyone who takes legal highs, or herbal highs as they are also known, can have no idea of what they actually contain. The reality is that they could have been mixed with illegal drugs or other potentially harmful substances and could be putting their life in danger.

"It is a dangerous game of chance and the drug taker places their life in the hands of others every time they take these substances.

"People should be aware that some of these substances do contain drugs that are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, with more of these drugs being made illegal as they are identified. This means that charges can and will be brought."