'Spice' Artificial Marijuana Smoking Gets University Students Rushed to the Hospital

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University students from Lancaster University were rushed to the hospital in critical condition after smoking artificial marijuana.

Five first-year students from Lancaster University were rushed to the hospital after taking Spice, a drug considered to be a 'legal high' before it was outlawed in 2009.

While three of the students are now safe and have been discharged, two remain in the hospital though they are already in stable condition, according to BBC News.

The authorities and ambulances arrived at the Grizedale College after students were reported to be "suffering adverse effects after taking the substance, which appears to have been a synthetic cannabis substitute".

A spokesman released a statement regarding the incident: "While full forensic tests will now be carried out to try to establish exactly what the substance was, at this stage we cannot confirm whether any criminal offences which have been committed."

"All our enquiries lead us to believe that this was an isolated incident confined to these five individuals and that no others are involved or have been affected," Supt. Peter Lawson said.

The chemicals found in the outlawed high are not known to be legal. The drug is even suspected to contain substances that are dangerous to the body.

"Thankfully these young men do not appear to have suffered any long-lasting effects but they were very ill and the outcome could have been very different. Our advice on new psychoactive substance remains that people should not take them as they will simply have no idea what they could contain."

Spice—also known as the 'Devil's weed' and 'Black Mamba'—is rampantly used in prisons. The drug looks similar to a little roll of tobacco, has no odor, and can show up negative in drug tests, according to Daily Mail.

The synthetic cannabinoid in the drug is said to be one of the factors of increased prison violence and number of deaths in England over the span of three years.

Lancaster University has since tweeted an alert to warn the students: "Urgent message: Several students have been hospitalized today after taking legal high Spice - please check on friends and call 999 if needed."

The educational institution also sent an email to students, according to the university's online student publication, Scan.

"Five students are in hospital, 2 of them critically ill following a suspected overdose of a drug called Spice. It is extremely important if you have taken the drug to call 999 immediately and call for an ambulance. Please also check on anyone you think may have taken it. Spice is a cannabis-based drug and can be bought over the internet. Packages may be labelled 'not for human consumption.'"