Police in Scotland issue warning about pills containing benzocaine

Police in Scotland have issued warnings about pills containing the dental anaesthetic benzocaine being sold as ecstasy. According to the British Dental Association (BDA), overuse of the body-numbing agent can result in respiratory failure, uneven heartbeats and seizures.

A BDA spokeswoman said: "As a local anaesthetic benzocaine will make parts of the body numb, which could result in accidental injury. The quantity of benzocaine needed to cause serious side-effects will depend on a number of factors, including how the drug is delivered and total bodyweight."

Police have said figures of those being admitted to hospital are rising after taking substances such as benzocaine, with a number of different symptoms and side effects.

"More and more people are going to hospital after taking these substances, with specific symptoms such as nosebleeds, bleeding tongues, sickness and diarrhoea, blackouts, short-term memory loss, panic attacks and severe mood swings."

It's also been said that the drug is a dangerous combination with alcohol due to the potential of benzocaine leading to "suppression of the natural gag reflex".

Police in Scotland issued another warning earlier this year about pink superman pills in circulation containing PMA.

[Via: The Scotsman]