"All six clients had some form of self-harm or serious suicidal attempt. Tumanako staff suspect that 25 per cent or more of all patients admitted have been using synthetic cannabis, and that this is a significant contributing factor to their illness."
She said there had also been two "code blue" incidents (a patient requiring resuscitation) where patients collapsed after using synthetic cannabis while admitted on the ward.
"Other clients report the availability of synthetic cannabis on the [Tumanako] unit, and that this has a negative impact on their own ability to abstain and detoxify, prolonging their recovery," she said. "These substances really are a real problem and should be banned."
A more complete audit of admissions and introduction of a testing kit for synthetic cannabis is planned by the Tumanako Unit.
Dr Mills was horrified legal highs were being given to children as young as 11 in Northland, saying the long-term effects of the substances on children were not known, but likely serious.
Police are becoming increasingly concerned about the uncontrollable violence induced in some people smoking legal highs.
Whangarei Police Acting Sergeant Jeremy Weston said they were causing problems. Police were called to a house in Whangarei just after 12am yesterday after a man who had been smoking the drugs suddenly became violent with his partner, trying to strangle her.
"It's not like normal cannabis, which tends to mellow people out, this stuff makes people extremely violent and unpredictable," Mr Weston said.
He said a lot of younger people were getting their hands on the substances. Two 14-year-old girls were found distressed and vomiting repeatedly in Whangarei's CBD last week after smoking legal highs.
"We are seeing more things like that because of these products. Synthetic cannabis is proving to be a factor in more and more of our offending."
Also last week, police found an 11-year-old boy in a very disoriented state on Maunu Rd. He had been taking legal highs. Inquiries discovered that the boy had been given some psychoactive substances at a neighbour's house and police are yet to determine if charges will be laid against whoever gave the boy the drugs.
Whangarei/Kaipara Area Prevention Manager Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe said: "The fact that an 11-year-old boy had been given the drug beggars belief. Imagine what it would be doing to his developing brain?"
