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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Police probe 'legal high death' | Police probe 'legal high death' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A woman who has died in North Yorkshire had recently taken the legal drug mephedrone, police have been told. | A woman who has died in North Yorkshire had recently taken the legal drug mephedrone, police have been told. |
| Lois Waters, 24, was found at a friend's house in Norton, near Malton, at 0900 GMT on Monday. | Lois Waters, 24, was found at a friend's house in Norton, near Malton, at 0900 GMT on Monday. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Miss Waters' mother Alison paid tribute to her daughter saying she was a "really lovely girl". | |
| Deborah Cook, a friend of the family and the landlady of the Union Inn in Norton, described Miss Waters' death as "very sad". | |
| Police said post-mortem and toxicology tests will be carried out in the next two days. | Police said post-mortem and toxicology tests will be carried out in the next two days. |
| Those tests will determine whether mephedrone, which is sold legally on the internet as "plant food", contributed to the woman's death. | Those tests will determine whether mephedrone, which is sold legally on the internet as "plant food", contributed to the woman's death. |
| 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. | 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 been a cause of her death." | |
| The drug is sold legally on the internet as plant food | The 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |