I fear this evil drug is more dangerous than cocaine...

9:30am Tuesday 19th January 2010

By Emily Parsons

A CLUBBER who fears he has suffered lasting damage after snorting a “legal high” has warned the drug could soon sweep through Colchester.

The 23-year-old, who agreed to speak to the Gazette on condition of anonymity, used a chemical sold online as plant food as a replacement for ecstasy or cocaine.

He says he quickly needed to take more and more of the drug for it to have an effect.

It “ruined” his nose, left him with pain all over his body and caused mouth ulcers, but he says he stopped before he became addicted.

Now he fears it is about to turn into an epidemic among clubbers in Colchester, and has warned drugs charities and police to start preparing for an influx of so-called “legal highs”. He admits to using ecstasy and cocaine, but in recent months has become part of an even greater trend sweeping the UK.

He said: “I have done other drugs like cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, and I always saw legal highs as something not worth looking into.

“In November, I read about a girl who had died in Holland after taking a legal high and, I know it sounds bad, but I thought it was worth a try.”

“I snorted a line of it and the feeling was great. It was the same effect as ecstasy. I had a lot of empathy and a great euphoria.”

The clubber, who lives in Colchester, continued: “You have to take more and more to get the same initial hit. It felt too addictive.

“It makes your heart and nervous system work a lot harder than it should do and you get palpitations.

“I’ve had mouth ulcers, continuous pain all over my body and it ruins your nose. I’ve had a sore nose for two or three months now.”

“The Government haven’t done tests yet. No one knows what the long-term effects are.”

He believes it is being introduced to Colchester already, and needs to be stopped before it is too late.

He said: “This is going to be a big problem in Colchester in the coming weeks and months.

“I’ve got a lot of connections in the club world, especially around Colchester, and I know this drug is starting to come in.

“It is a terrible drug that will get teenagers addicted and will turn into an epidemic.

“This is a class A drug that just hasn’t been categorised yet. Drugs charities, police, everyone needs to prepare now. The message needs to be got out that this stuff is not understood.”

His biggest fear is teenagers will unwittingly become hooked on it. It can be bought for as little as £11 for 1g. Cocaine can be bought for about £40 for 1g.

He said: “The reason I am speaking out now is because I think there’s going to be a big problem with teenagers in Colchester. It is easier to get hold of than cannabis. You can get this legally and have class A effects.

“But what they don’t realise is that it is dangerous; more dangerous probably than cocaine. There’s a lot of controversy over whether to make it illegal.

“It’s going to take months before it can be made illegal, and I believe by then, the damage will be done.”