FOUR pupils at a Kirklees school were taken to hospital – after smoking a substance called Black Mamba.

All four have recovered but one had come close to losing consciousness.

Now police are urging others to steer clear of the substance, a so-called “legal high”.

The warning comes after the young people from a school in Kirklees suffered potentially serious health effects after smoking a herbal substance marketed as Black Mamba.

The students were left feeling sick and generally unwell.

All were taken to Dewsbury District Hospital but later allowed home.

Bryan Dent, Force Drugs Co-ordinator for West Yorkshire Police, said: “These substances, by being commonly referred to as ‘legal highs’, give a completely false context to the issue.

“They should be best described as ‘toxic substances’ – because that’s what they are – toxic.

“Although not covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act and are on the face of it legal, they are not safe and are often very toxic.”

He said Black Mamba was a herbal concoction which mimics the effects of cannabis, and although people buy it from so-called Head Shops and the internet, the consumer does not know what the substance actually contains or has been treated with.

Mr Dent said: “It’s our experience that many of the substances do actually contain ingredients which are illegal, so instead of buying what people think are legal substances they are in fact buying illegal substances.

“Taking this toxic substance could have ended in tragedy for the individuals and their families.

“The police work hard with our partners in the local authority, and health professions, but ultimately the decision to consume or smoke such substances is an individual one.

“But consuming these toxic concoctions does have consequences for people in terms of affecting their health and the fact that they think they are buying legal substances when in fact they contain illegal ingredients.

“There is much concern nationally that the term ‘legal highs’ is misleading, and lack of research into many of the products means that there are many questions raised about what the long-term health effects are of consuming white powders and herbal mixtures which have been treated with synthetic ingredients.

“We have to keep getting the message out, especially to young people, that when you ingest materials to alter your state of mind there will always be risks attached.

“There are often serious health risks and the risk of getting arrested.”