SCHOOL pupils in Plymouth will not be given back a dangerous 'legal' drug if it is seized from them, say both police and education chiefs.

Despite national reports claiming teachers would be forced to hand back seized packets of mephedrone at the final bell, Plymouth police and the vice-chair of the Association of Secondary Head Teachers in Plymouth, Andy Birkett, have insisted it will not happen here.

"We already have effective policies to deal with substances found in schools; if we're in any doubt we ask the expert's opinion," said Mr Birkett.

"The police have always advised us that if we don't know what we've seized, regardless of what the child tells us, then call the police. We seek to put the child's safety and the safety of the school first and will hand over such items to police.

"As far as we're concerned, nothing has changed. We'll deal with this drug in the same way we always have."

Drug liaison officer Det Con Stuart Payne said: "The advice we have given schools is if they seize a suspected item, then they can give it to us to deal with.

"The school may wish to deal with the matter in-house or they may wish to tell us who it came from. People should note that current force policy is that those found in possession of the suspect powder will be arrested.

"It should be remembered that samples of mephedrone we have already seized have been mixed with controlled drugs, including cocaine and amphetamine, or legal drugs such as benzocaine, which is used by dentists. It emphasises that you don't know what you're taking."

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Constabulary also poured cold water on the national press's line, saying: "If the seized drugs are found to be mephedrone no charges will follow under the Misuse of Drugs Act, but it's possible that other charges, such as those under the Intoxicating Substances Act 1985, could be brought. If the substance is identified as mephedrone the force will retain and destroy the product."

Dave Schwartz, speaking on behalf of the Plymouth Children and Young People's Trust and the Drug and Alcohol Action Team in Plymouth, said the deaths of two young men in Scunthorpe earlier this week were 'tragic events' but urged caution as to the true cause.

"There reports that these deaths were related to the use of a range of drugs, including alcohol," Mr Schwartz said.

"Only when we have access to the official reports into the cause of these deaths will we know why they took place."

He said multi-agency work involving the NHS, police, the city council and other organisations was under way to deal with the increasing use of mephadrone.

"As with any emerging drug trend, we need to be vigilant," he said. "We must understand and respond to its potential harms by using evidence about its prevalence, the science in respect to how it affects the people who use it and through understanding local need and experiences."

A briefing pack had already been sent to professionals in the city, including GPs and youth workers, and a briefing for professionals would take place in a fortnight to determine what action was needed to address the use and impact of mephedrone.

For more information about mephedrone or other drugs, contact Harbour Drug and Alcohol Services using 434343 if an adult or 434295 if a young person.