Parents have criticised a school where 20 pupils fell ill after using a Nicotine spray prescribed to a 12-year-old – in an incident dismissed as a 'prank ' by the headmaster . The children , aged between 11 and 13 , suffered vomiting , dizziness and headaches , with one apparently needing hospital treatment . Incredibly , the Nicorette mouth spray had been brought to class by the 12-year-old after she was prescribed it by NHS anti-smoking staff who visited the school . Manufacturers say the anti-addiction product is safe for ages 12 and up – but experts claim it can cause acute poisoning in non-smokers . Parents have criticised Wolstanton High School ( pictured ) in Newcastle-under-Lyme where 20 pupils fell ill after using a Nicotine spray prescribed to a 12-year-old . Frantic parents were called to Wolstanton High School in Newcastle-under-Lyme , Staffordshire , last Wednesday after 20 pupils became ill during lunchtime . One father , whose daughter suffered vomiting and dizziness , expressed his disbelief that a child had been given the spray in the first place . He said : 'It is ridiculous that the school are allowing a girl so young to be prescribed something this dangerous . I agree they should be giving them advice , but she is only 12 . 'It could have been a lot more serious , one of them could have been seriously poisoned . ' A mother , who also asked not to be named , said her 12-year-old son tried the spray , adding : 'When he was collected he was extremely pale , holding on to the rail outside and some of the others had been sick . He 's suffered a toxic overdose . ' It is understood one pupil even attended the Royal Stoke University Hospital 's A & E for a heart check-up . But despite parents ' concerns , the school 's headmaster Alan Aston appeared to downplay the 'regrettable ' incident as a practical joke . He said : 'The spray was shared with other pupils and they became nauseous . We have dealt with the pupil involved using our own sanctions ... unfortunately this was a prank that went wrong . ' Manufacturers say the anti-addiction product ( pictured ) is safe for ages 12 and up – but experts claim it can cause acute poisoning in non-smokers . The girl was prescribed the nicotine spray by Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership NHS Trust , which ran an anti-smoking course called 'Time to Quit ' at the comprehensive school . Ian Saberton , the scheme 's service manager , said his staff had followed the proper procedures . He added : 'All pupils who request support receive an appointment , after which they are required to do some preparation for a quit attempt . Medication is only recommended at the following appointment . ' Mr Aston defended the course , saying that as most of the school 's pupils are underage , 'smoking is illegal , which we take very seriously ' . Johnson & Johnson , which makes the spray , says it is safe for adults and children over 12 . But the electronic Medicines Compendium ( eMC ) , whose information is vetted by regulators , warns : 'Products containing nicotine should not be left where they may be misused , handled or ingested by children . ' Although the spray 's 1mg dose is small – a lethal dose for an adult who does n't smoke is 40 to 60mg – the eMC says those who are not used to nicotine can suffer poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and dizziness .
The incident occurred at Wolstanton High School in Newcastle-under-Lyme . Children aged between 11 and 13 suffered vomiting , dizziness and headache . The Nicorette mouth spray was brought into the class by a 12-year-old girl . She was prescribed it by the NHS anti-smoking staff who visited the school . Experts say anti-addiction product cause 'acute poisoning ' in non-smokers .