Schoolgirl dies after taking red ecstasy-style pill dubbed Mortal Kombat amid warnings of new type of drug that slowly releases narcotic into blood stream

A teenage girl has died and four other have been left in hospital after taking a pill known as 'Mortal Kombat' while on a night out with her friends.
Regane MacColl, 17, is understood to have fallen ill after taking a red tablet with a dragon image on it at Glasgow nightspot The Arches on Saturday night.
The pill, believed to be an ecstasy-style drug, is thought to have been the same substance which hospitalised four other young people over the weekend.
Her death comes amid warnings of a new type of slow-releasing narcotic called PMA, which means users take other drugs without realising the effects are delayed.

Miss MacColl, from Clydebank in West Dunbartonshire, has been described as a 'popular, hardworking and enthusiastic pupil' at town's St Peter the Apostle High School.
Headteacher Linda Booth said: 'Our whole school community feels a deep sense of grief and our thoughts and prayers are with Regane's family and friends at this devastating time.
'Regane was a popular, hardworking and enthusiastic pupil and staff always found her to be very pleasant and well mannered.

 

'This is a real tragedy for a girl who worked so hard and I'm sure she would have gone on to achieve so much in her life.
'We are doing everything that we can to support all of our young people and staff at this sad time.'
A post-mortem examination will be carried out on the schoolgirl, who died at the weekend.

The Mortal Kombat pill is also understood to have hospitalised four other young people over the weekend

Police have said the 'Mortal Kombat' pill is believed to be a common link between Regane's death and the four other young people who were taken ill.
A 19-year-old woman was admitted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Sunday and later discharged.
Two 18-year-old men and one man aged 26 received treatment at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock after being out on Friday.
One of the 18 year-olds was later transferred to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride where he is in a serious but stable condition.

As part of the ongoing investigation a 19-year-old woman was arrested yesterday in Clydebank in connection with alleged drugs offences. She has been released for report and is due to appear at a later date.
It is understood the arrest was not in connection with mortal kombat pills.
According to The Times, police believe Miss MacColl's death may have been caused by mixing the drugs with alcohol or other substances.
Speaking to the paper, Harry Shapiro, of charity Drugscope, said a recent rise in the number of deaths connected to taking Ecstasty was often because of the tablets containing another substance called PMA.

DEADLY DRUG FOR JUST £3

While the full contents of the Mortal Kombat pill are not yet known, drug experts have warned it may contain another substance called PMA, which was blamed for the deaths of more than 10 young people within a 60-mile radius of Manchester last year.
It is better-known in the form of pills costing as little as £3.
They are sometimes pink and shaped like Love Hearts sweets, or stamped with an 'M', but it also comes in a crystal-like form (pictured above).
The drug often has the same street names as ecstasy as it has a similar effect to ecstasy's main chemical, MDMA.
But the active ingredient in PMA is five times stronger and takes longer to kick in, meaning many revellers take extra pills.
The youngest known victim was 16-year-old Ellie Jones, who died after suffering breathing difficulties at a friend’s house in Warrington.
Nine recent deaths in the north-west have been linked to possible contaminated ecstasy.
PMA has also been linked to deaths in Canada, Norway and Denmark.
Gym instructor Travis Barber, from Salford, was just 19 when he suffered a violent fatal reaction to PMA.
His mother, Dr Louise Barber, said after an inquest: ‘I would say [to young people] just don’t do it and please avoid all drugs.
'It’s like playing Russian Roulette with your life.'

It is not known whether the Mortal Kombat pill does contained the substance PMA, but it does often have the same street names as ecstasy as it has a similar effect to ecstasy's main chemical, MDMA.
But the active ingredient in PMA is five times stronger and takes longer to kick in, meaning many revellers take extra pills.
Mr Shapiro told The Times: 'It could turn out that this "Mortal Kombat" pill is an ecstasy tablet that has PMA in it.'
Last week the Scottish Drugs Form issued a warning about another type of pill with a Superman logo on one side a 'half score' line and 'R' logo on the other.
The forum said some of the tablets had been examined and found to contain para-Methoxyamphetamine (PMA).
A spokesman for The Arches said: 'The Arches are deeply saddened by events that took place in the early hours of Sunday morning. First and foremost our sincere condolences go to the young woman's family.
'We are working closely with Police Scotland to assist them in any way we can with their inquiries into the circumstances of this tragic incident. Until the police have concluded those inquiries it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.'
Police and doctors have warned people to beware of illicit drugs.
Detective Inspector Sharon MacGregor said: 'I can't stress enough how dangerous drugs are, sadly a young woman has died and several other young people are ill in hospital.
'Illicit drugs are unstable, unpredictable and extremely dangerous as this outcome shows, often the content of the drugs is unknown but they could contain dangerous chemicals and people need to understand the devastating effect they can have. I would strongly advise people to avoid illicit drugs and report any information to the police.'
Dr Alastair Ireland, emergency medicine director at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said: 'We are deeply concerned about people taking this dangerous drug and cannot stress enough the effects they can cause including death. I would urge anyone who has taken one of these tablets and begins to feel unwell to seek immediate medical help.'
James Stevenson, an A&E consultant with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, warned that people who take drugs are 'playing Russian roulette with their life'.

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• Schoolgirl dies in hospital after taking ¿Mortal Kombat¿ pill | The Times