Pupils suspended for taking mephedrone

Two 15-year-old girls have been excluded from their school after they admitted taking mephedrone.

The teenagers attend the 1,100-pupil Davison C of E High School for Girls in Worthing. Headteacher Della West said the school had now reissued warnings to pupils about the drug.

She said: "Following concerns about their behaviour, the students admitted their use of the substance during the school day. The school's response takes this admission into account, in line with the school's behaviour policy.

"Davison is working closely with these students and their families.

"We are very concerned about the ease of availability of mephedrone, or meow meow, to young people and are sharing any information received on sources of the substance with the local police."

Sussex Police and agencies in Worthing set up a local action team last week to deal with rising use of the legal high.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said yesterday that mephedrone, linked to 25 deaths in England and Scotland, will be made a Class B drug.