- Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night
- Before festival he had tweeted: 'To say I am excited for RockNess 2012 is an absolute understatement'
- Two other festival goers believed to be friends of the dead teenager described as being in a ‘comfortable’ condition
- Benzo Fury can be bought wholesale over the internet and usually sells for 10 a pill, or 25 for three
By Jill Reilly
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A teenager died and two other festival-goers were hospitalised after apparently taking 'legal high' Benzo Fury at a Scottish music festival.
Alex Heriot, 19, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night.
Mr Heriot, of Portobello, Edinburgh, was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died in the early hours of yesterday.
Tragic: Alex Heriot, 19, left, collapsed in the main area at the RockNess festival at Dores, on the shores of Loch Ness, on Saturday night - it is believed he may have taken the legal high Benzo Fury, right
Hours later, a 19-year-old woman, and a 20-year-old man, believed to be friends of the dead teenager, were taken to hospital.
It is thought they may also have taken the 'legal high' Benzo Fury – a chemical available on the internet that police believe may be dangerous when taken with other substances or alcohol.
The man and woman are described as being in a ‘comfortable’ condition.
On Thursday, the teenager, had written on his Twitter profile page about how much he was looking forward to the Scottish music festival
Festival: More than 30,000 people attended the weekend event and police said 144 revellers had been arrested over drug possession and one for dealing
Northern Constabulary confirmed Mr Heriot’s death is believed to be drug-related but would not say whether he had taken Benzo Fury.
Toxicology tests are being carried out to discover what substance or mixture, if any, was involved.
Benzo Fury can be bought wholesale over the internet and usually sells for 10 a pill, or 25 for three.
Mr Heriot's father told the Daily Record: 'We are still talking to the police liaison people and we are not sure of the full circumstances of what has happened.
'We are still struggling to take it in.'
Friends: Hours later, a 19-year-old woman and 20-year-old man, believed to be friends of the dead teenager, were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness
WHAT IS 'LEGAL HIGH 'BENZO FURY?
‘Legal highs’ are substances which produce the same, or similar effects, to drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
There are a large number of 'legal highs' - some are known by their brand/product name, such as Benzo Fury and it's not always clear what's in these products and their contents can change regularly.
Benzo Fury is a man-made amphetamine which can give users a euphoric high.
It induces feelings of empathy similar to Class A drug ecstasy.
Benzo Fury is also a stimulant and it's side effects include loss of appetite, hallucinations and paranoia.
Controversial 'legal highs' such as Benzo Fury and Ivory Wave are manufactured in laboratories in the Far East and eastern Europe.
They have become a popular alternative to illegal ecstasy and Meow Meow.
On Thursday, the teenager, who was studying at Jewel and Esk College in Dalkeith, Midlothian, had written on his Twitter webpage about how much he was looking forward to the festival, headlined by acts including Mumford & Sons.
He wrote: ‘To say I am excited for RockNess 2012 is an absolute understatement.’
More than 30,000 people attended the weekend event and police said 144 revellers had been arrested over drug possession and one for dealing.
Legal highs defeat sniffer dogs which are not trained to detect legal substances and so far no other Benzo Fury has been found.
Police and organisers minimised the risk of controlled drugs at the festival through measures, including searches and the use of drugs dogs as well as amnesty bins.
Event commander, Superintendent Stevie Mackay, said: 'Taking drugs or any medicines, which you have not been prescribed, is an extremely risky thing to do.
'People may think that legal highs are safe, because they are not classed as a controlled drug, but they are extremely dangerous.
'If anyone has the tablets described or any other drug, whether controlled or a 'legal high', in their possession, they are advised not to take them and to hand these in.
'Amnesty bins are available at the main Nesstival entrance or anyone can hand in substances to Crew 2000 at the welfare tent.'
‘Legal highs’ are substances which produce the same, or similar effects, to drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
There are a large number of 'legal highs' - some are known by their brand/product name, such as Benzo Fury and it's not always clear what's in these products and their contents can change regularly.
Legal high deaths: Hester Stewart's body, left, was found next to a bottle of GBL in a house in Brighton after a party while Lois Waters, right 24, is believed to have taken party drug mephedrone - known as meow meow - in the lead up to her death
In recent years there have been several highly publicised cases of young people dying after taking drugs which were legal highs.
Hester Stewart's body, 21, was found next to a bottle of GBL in a house in Brighton after a party in 2009, while Lois Waters, 24, is believed to have taken party drug mephedrone - known as meow meow - in the lead up to her death in 2009.
Both substances are now banned, but health professionals and police fear each time a drug is outlawed, a new alternative is introduced on to the market.
Benzo Fury is a man-made amphetamine which can give users a euphoric high and induces feelings of empathy similar to ecstasy.
It is also a stimulant and its side effects include loss of appetite, hallucinations and paranoia.
Controversial 'legal highs' such as Benzo Fury are usually produced in laboratories in the Far East and eastern Europe.
Fatal collision: Two men killed in a road crash on Friday that involved a bus taking people to RockNess have been named as Mark McFarlane, 38, and Barry Murray, 28
They have become a popular alternative to illegal ecstasy and the now banned drug meow meow.
Meanwhile two men killed in a road crash on Friday that involved a bus taking people to RockNess have been named.
A van driver and passenger died in the accident at Ralia, near Newtonmore, Inverness-shire.
Northern Constabulary said the men were Mark McFarlane, 38, and Barry Murray, 28, decorators from the Glasgow area.
Meanwhile, police are anxious to trace Zoe McArthur, 18, of Edinburgh, who was last seen on Saturday evening at the festival.
Make-up free Mendes! Eva is still a natural beauty on grocery shopping trip - Daily Mail
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She is often seen in full glamour mode in a stunning gown and full make-up on the red carpet.
But Eva Mendes looked a far cry from her usual movie star self as she went grocery shopping in Los Angeles yesterday.
The 38-year-old actress stepped out without a scrap of make-up while doing her food shop, but still managed to look good in a stylish outfit
Natural beauty: Eva Mendes went grocery shopping in Los Angeles yesterday wearing no make-up
She sported a chic slate grey playsuit with cropped cream cardigan and matching cream wedge sandals.
An oversized straw bag and a loose ponytail completed the look.
The star looked to be enjoying her shopping trip, flashing a smile as she carried armfuls of goods to her grocery cart.
Primped and preened: Eva looked a far cry from full glamour mode as she stepped out on the red carpet at the Costume Gala in New York last month
Decisions decisions: Eva looked pensive as she wheeled her grocery cart around the store
The star has recently returned from Canada where she joined boyfriend Ryan Gosling at his mother Donna's college graduation in Ontario.
The couple are said to have been dating for only eight months and have already been the subject of break-up rumours.
It had been claimed that Eva and Ryan had split, but the reports were put to rest when they were pictured strolling hand in hand around New York last month.
Casual chic: Eva still looked stylish in her all-in-one playsuit, cropped cream cardigan and wedge heels
Neither has been been forthcoming about their relationship, although Eva has praised her Canadian co-star's talents as an actor, calling him her 'dream co-star' in the March issue of Marie Claire.
'I have never felt so creatively satisfied on a film. He’s amazing,' she said of her experience filming thriller A Place Beyond The Pines with Ryan.
'I play Ryan Gosling's love interest and his baby mama,' she also recently told Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show.
Healthy choice: Eva's cart included include flowers, bags of salad and fruit
This is the fault of the war on drugs. If safe and well-studied drugs like MDMA were not so harshly punished or were even regulated and taxed then people would not have to resort to 'legal highs'. It's ridiculous that they have sniffer dogs and strip searches at festivals, which mean people buy whatever unsafe drugs a dealer has managed to smuggle in, or that they get extremely drunk instead which is often more dangerous for themselves in a number of ways, and has a much higher potential for anti-social behaviour and violence. As the article says, some other drug that isn't illegal will be found, and people will try that instead, and it'll just keep going on. Regulate the stuff to PROTECT your citizens from dangerous chemicals that unregulated drugs are cut with, from dangerous designer drugs and from drug trafficking crime. Ecstasy has a safety profile comparable to horse riding. It's safer than alcohol in just about every way and more people die from paracetamol every year.
- Roy, Manchester, 11/6/2012 15:16
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