A potentially lethal drug, described as “illicit valium” and thought to have been produced in India, is flooding the streets of Tayside.
Health experts are “extremely concerned” with the discovery and say addicts in Arbroath, Forfar, Perth and Dundee have been injecting the substance, suspected to be an “MSJ compound”, and also drinking it in hot tea.
The drug is said to be very concentrated and strong and basically not what is says on the tin, experts are saying. Some people have been hospitalised while others have reported losing up to three days.
Meanwhile, several addicts on the methadone programme have had their dosage withdrawn as the safest measure.
Health professionals have warned that, while there have been no fatalities so far which have been linked solely to the drug, respiratory failure is a big concern.
Andrew Horne, operations director for drug agency Addaction, said he was “extremely concerned” about the number of people reportedly taking the drug and the effects it is having on some users.
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