A Tayside man has warned of the dangers of so-called legal highs after “convulsing” through taking the drugs at a hostel.
Following police raids on shops selling the controversial substances in Angus and Perthshire, Nicholas Taylor, 24, has lifted the lid on his horrific first taste of new psychoactive substances (NPS).
The 24-year-old was rushed to hospital last week after taking a synthetic form of cannabis for the first time.
After smoking the drug marketed as Cyclone he suffered seizures and later began hallucinating.
Police and paramedics were called to the hostel and he had to be restrained so he could be checked over.
Nicholas said he has been suffering panic attacks ever since the incident, which came just days after officers seized a “significant” haul of NPS and paraphernalia at the Bong Company in Perth and only a few weeks after similar dawn raids in Angus and Dundee.
“My throat started closing up, my chest started burning up and my heart was racing,” Nicholas said.
“I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t speak. I thought my heart was going to explode. I just kept thinking, I’m going to die.
“The staff from the hostel came up and by that time I was on my back on the floor and they tried to keep me conscious. I was convulsing and my eyes were rolling to the back of my head.
“They later said it could only be described as a possession.
“When the police came they had to restrain me because I was trying to fight them off and trying to headbutt walls.
“All I could picture was my mum. I don’t know how I survived.”
Nicholas took the drugs in Dundee and was taken to Ninewells Hospital by ambulance.
Paramedics discovered his heart rate was more than 170 beats per minute, dangerously higher than the normal resting heart rate.
Fortunately, the effects of the drugs wore off within a few hours and Nicholas was later discharged after a few checks. However, he has been left with cuts and bruises as a result of his ordeal and is worried about the damage he may have done to his internal organs.
Nicholas said: “The nurses and doctors weren’t able to give me anything because they didn’t know what chemicals were in what I had taken.
“At one point I actually wanted to die because the pain was so unbearable,” said Nicholas.
“I can’t believe you can buy this stuff over the counter at shops.
“I’d advise everyone not to go near them at all, no matter what drugs you may have taken in the past.”
He added: “I’m really grateful to the staff at the hostel. They saved my life.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We were called to Soapwork Lane at 6.50pm on Wednesday with concerns for a man.
“Police assisted paramedics and ambulance staff took the man to Ninewells Hospital.
“Nobody was charged in connection with the incident.”