Police have called for mephedrone to be made illegal, it’s been revealed.

In a written answer to a question in the House of Keys this week, Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw confirmed police wrote to his department late last year.

He says the Chief Constable wrote a letter and the Deputy Chief Constable sent an email last November asking for legislation to outlaw the legal high.

North Douglas MHK John Houghton put the question to Mr Earnshaw in Tuesday’s sitting, along with two other questions about the drug and the problems it’s causing.

Mr Houghton asked Health Minister Eddie Teare how many people the hospital has seen suffering the effects of mephedrone and how much it’s cost the NHS.

Mr Teare said nine people have been treated in the last month who were thought to have taken the drug, at a cost of around ?5,500.

And in a second question to Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw, Mr Houghton asked how many people have been arrested for crimes whilst under the influence of mephedrone.

Mr Earnshaw said 43 people were arrested and one was charged with driving under the influence of the drug.