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Police probe 'legal high death' Police probe 'legal high death'
(29 minutes later)
The legal drug mephedrone may have been a factor in the death of a woman in North Yorkshire, police say. A woman who has died in North Yorkshire had recently taken the legal drug mephedrone, police have been told.
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. The 24-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, was found at a friend's house in Norton, near Malton, at 0900 GMT on Monday.
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. The woman's family and friends said she had taken mephedrone "freely" in the 48 hours before her death. She may have also taken other substances.
Post-mortem and toxicology tests will be carried out in the next few days. Post-mortem and toxicology tests will be carried out in the next two days.
The woman's death follows those of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, who died in Scunthorpe last week after taking the drug. Those tests will determine whether mephedrone, which is sold legally on the internet as "plant food", contributed to the woman's death.
Mr Smith's parents have called on the government to ban mephedrone, which is sold legally over the internet as "plant food". The death follows those of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, who died in Scunthorpe last week after taking a mixture of mephedrone, the heroin substitute methadone and alcohol.
'Devastating consequences''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.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'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.""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 foodThe drug is sold legally on the internet as plant food
Mr Costello said evidence suggested the woman may have also taken other substances.Mr Costello said evidence suggested the woman may have also taken other substances.
He said the woman's family were "devastated" and "very cut up" by her death.
The detective warned people about the "devastating consequences" of taking the drug.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.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."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."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"."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".
The government's chief drugs adviser, Les Iversen, has indicated that his panel will recommend mephedrone be made illegal.
Professor Iversen said he expected a recommendation to be made to the Home Secretary next Monday when the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs meets to consider the issue.