A HAMPSHIRE teenager is fighting for his life after taking the legal high AMT.

The 17-year-old is in an induced coma in the intensive care unit at Southampton General Hospital after taking the drug which he bought on the Internet.

The boy's mother phoned 999 after finding her son in his bedroom at their Southampton home yesterday afternoon. He told her he had taken the drug Alpha Methyltryptamine (AMT) which had been ordered from Holland.

Doctors say he remains in a life-threatening condition this afternoon.

Police have now issued an urgent warning about the dangers of taking the potentially deadly drug or any other so called legal high.

Detective Constable Jonathan Hyland said: “The clear issue is that people who state they have a strong view about not taking controlled drugs are importing and purchasing drugs which they read on-line are a substitute for controlled drugs.

“People incorrectly believe that these 'legal highs' are then both safe and appropriate alternatives to street drugs.

“Just because something is not illegal does not make it safe.

“Unfortunately, it appears that anyone can call anything a 'legal high' and sell it as 'safe'. It only becomes clear it is not safe when someone becomes severely harmed by taking it and subsequent investigations reveal substances within the compound can be lethal.”

Det con Hyland said it was the third “exceptionally serious” case involving AMT in Hampshire since 2012.

He added: “If you are considering taking any type of non personally prescribed drug, I would urge you to consider for a few minutes - before you use the substance - how your family would feel, finding you in need of critical medical attention.”