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Police probe 'legal high death' Police probe 'legal high death'
(about 5 hours later)
The legal high drug, mephedrone, "may have been a factor" in the death of a 24-year-old woman in North Yorkshire, police have said. The legal drug mephedrone may have been a factor in the death of a woman in North Yorkshire, police say.
The woman, who has not been identified, was found by a friend at a house in Norton at 0900 GMT on Monday. The 24-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, was found by a friend at a house in Norton, near Malton, at 0900 GMT on Monday.
Although the cause of her death is not yet known, North Yorkshire Police said there was a suggestion that mephedrone could be involved. Although the cause of her death is not yet known, the woman's family and friends have told police that she took mephedrone "freely" before she died.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out in the next few days. Post-mortem and toxicology tests will be carried out in the next few days.
In a statement, North Yorkshire Police said: "Detectives are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, however there is a suggestion that legal high mephedrone may be a factor." The woman's death follows those of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, who died in Scunthorpe last week after taking the drug.
Det Ch Insp Nigel Costello said: "Although at this time it can not be determined whether mephedrone is present within the deceased's system or whether the drug played any part in her death, the police would like to warn people about the use of the drug and its potentially lethal consequences." Mr Smith's parents have called on the government to ban mephedrone, which is sold legally over the internet as "plant food".
'Devastating consequences'
Speaking about the Norton woman's death, Det Ch Insp Nigel Costello, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "We can't link it definitely to mephedrone.
"We'll certainly be able to have a better answer of that when a post-mortem and toxicology tests have been conducted later, in the next 48 hours.
"We do know in the 48 hours up to her death she freely used mephedrone and it may have had a cause of her death."
The drug is sold legally on the internet as plant food
Mr Costello said evidence suggested the woman may have also taken other substances.
The detective warned people about the "devastating consequences" of taking the drug.
He said: "I don't think people should be under the misconception that it's only readily available in big cities. It isn't - it's available in small market towns also.
"It's not a controlled substance, and people are classing it as a legal high.
"We're not seeking to media scare by any means, but people should know the devastating consequences that exist.
"It's plant food, it has no quality assurance in what you are taking, it's not meant for human consumption, it's not meant for ingestion or inhalation".