| NHS Tayside said that while all those affected had since recovered, two people had been admitted to Ninewells Hospital.
The cases are not being treated as linked and were reported in houses around the city.
The casualties had all consumed the “legal high”, whose main ingredient is the chemical mephedrone, which is often marketed as plant food.
Although mephedrone is not currently a controlled drug, possession can still lead to arrest as bubbles can vary in content and may lead to a more serious charge following testing.
In a statement, issued in conjunction with police and support agencies the WEB Project and Addaction, NHS Tayside warned of a “lack of knowledge” over the effects of bubbles in the long and short terms.
The statement said, “Mixing bubbles with prescribed medicine or alcohol can cause serious health problems.”
It added, “Mephedrone itself is dangerous, but there are also concerns about the possible unknown additives in the capsules as well.”
Reported symptoms have included blueing of the knees and limbs, narrowing of blood vessels, heart problems, breathing problems, convulsions, dizziness and vomiting.
Mephedrone is manufactured in Chinese labs and imported legally into the United Kingdom. Drug support agencies in Dundee started receiving reports of the use of bubbles in the middle of last year, with its prevalence growing in the city in the past few months.
The drug is either swallowed or snorted, with users reporting a similar effect to ecstasy, producing euphoria, alertness and talkativeness. |
