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Legal high warnings after man dies

Credit: Yui Mok/PA

A man who died and three others were taken to hospital may have used the same legal high police have said.

Officers are investigating after a 49-year-old man was found unresponsive in St James Park, Bristol, and subsequently died, while three other men were taken to hospital after falling ill at two other locations.

Police say there maybe a link between the incidents and are warning the public to avoid the drugs or risk playing "Russian roulette" with their health.

It's thought they may have taken a legal high commonly referred to as Spice.

Credit: Peter Byrne/PA

Legal highs, or New Psychoactive Substance (NPS), are often sold as plant food, incense or research chemicals and are sometimes labelled 'not fit for human consumption'.

We’ve seen a number of serious incidents in Bristol and are warning people not to take these so-called legal highs.

If you take an NPS you are playing Russian roulette with your health.

Many of these types of products have not been tested on humans and can contain chemicals which, if consumed, can leave you at a grave risk of suffering serious ill health and can even prove fatal.

These messages are reinforced by the imminent arrival of the Psychoactive Substances Bill which is due to come into force in April and will make these substances illegal.

– Paul Bunt, Drugs Strategy Manager