A MYSTERY drug which put five people in hospital could still be on the streets of North East Lincolnshire.
Health officials today warned of the dangers of the drug, which is in a white powder form.
Meanwhile, police revealed that toxicologists are facing a race against time to establish the make-up of the substance, which was taken by the people on Sunday.
As revealed in the Telegraph yesterday, three men and two women were taken to hospital from an address in Grimsby's Wentworth Road.
The drug was so powerful at inducing extreme hallucinations, the patients had to be restrained as they were transported to hospital at about 4.30pm.
One of the men and two of the women, aged 28, 23 and 24 respectively, have been released from hospital, arrested, and released on bail.
Two men, aged 31 and 33, remained in Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital last night, but their conditions were said to be improving.
Since the escalation in the consumption of so-called "legal highs", the Grimsby Telegraph has spearheaded a campaign to highlight the dangers of taking any drugs. As yet, it is not yet known if the drug, which caused such an extreme reaction among the drug takers, is one of those or is illegal.
A Humberside Police spokesman said: "It is not yet known just what the five people had taken, so it would not be right to speculate at this time.
"However, we are awaiting the results of toxicology tests which should help to shed some light on just what was in the white powder which caused such serious health problems."
He said quantities of the drug could still be available in the area.
"There could well be more around," the spokesman added.
The investigation into who supplied the drugs is continuing and officers are keen to talk to anyone who was at the house in Wentworth Road before the arrival of paramedics.
Quentin Dowse, strategic development manager for the Drug and Alcohol Action Team, said he fully supported the Grimsby Telegraph's awareness campaign and urged people not to take any drugs at all.
Repeating his earlier warnings, he said: "The only way to stay safe is not to use recreational drugs at all. Whether they are legal or illegal does not mean they are safe.
"What has happened to these five people only serves to prove how dangerous taking drugs of any type is and how the changing face of the recreational drug market is exposing users to new risks we, as yet, know little about."
He urged anyone with information to come forward with details.
Anyone who can help the investigation or has information relating to the supply of drugs in North East Lincolnshire should call Humberside Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Editor's Comment DO you know what you are taking? Drugs, legal or illegal are not going to go away – it appears that is a fact of life! People should be discouraged at all costs from taking any substances. There is no doubt the vast majority of them are dangerous, addictive and can do untold damage to a person's health, both physically and mentally. However whatever warnings are out there, people will still take them. And the worrying thing is that more and more seem to be coming on to the market and as every new one hits there is fresh anxiety about what they contain. There have been a smattering of reports of incidents where people have ended up in hospital in various parts of the country for taking a number of 'highs'. The latest such case has happened in Grimsby and the authorities are right to warn of this harmful substance, which appears to be available in the local market place. If you insist on taking drugs – please be confident about what they contain! *Do you know about legal highs and their existence here? Follow the editor on Twitter @michellelalor
