A London council has issued an urgent warning after two people died taking blue pills this weekend.
Ealing Council said two people in the Southall area took the unidentified pills together over the Bank Holiday, and sadly passed away.
‘Please remember, there is no way of knowing what is in any pill or drug that is bought illegally, or how your body will react,’ they said.
‘If you, or anyone you are with, starts to feel unwell after taking any pill or drug, go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department or call 999.
‘Always seek medical attention and do not try to sleep it off or drink lots of water.’
It’s the latest warning around dangerous drugs, after an earlier warning this year over fake MDMA making the rounds.
Manchester Drug Analysis and Knowledge Exchange (Mandrake), a harm reduction group at Manchester Metropolitan University, said mysterious powder had led to fatalities.
‘Multiple samples of beige powder, potentially mis-sold as MDMA, confirmed by Mandrake, to contain synthetic cathinone, 4F-α-PVP, in Manchester,’ they said.
‘‘Not much is known about this substance, but it has been implicated in fatalities. If unwell, seek medical attention.’
Dubbed a ‘designer drug’, 4F-α-PVP is a type of synthetic created to chemically resemble the mind-altering properties of khat, a plant chewed for stimulant effects in parts of Africa.
Warning signs of an overdose
- blue or pale lips or fingertips
- falling unconscious
- very light shallow breathing or no breathing
- loud raspy ‘snoring’ or gurgling
If you fear for yourself or someone else, call 999
Although synthetic cathinones have been linked to some deaths, they mostly ‘also mostly involved other psychoactive substances’, according to the government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
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Usually, cathinone-related deaths are caused by overheating, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Research in Finland found most deaths were among men aged 25 to 44, who had a history of abusing multiple drugs.
Around 29% of those deaths were blamed on the detected synthetic cathinones.
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