<text>  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. Hes suffered a toxic overdose. It is understood one pupil even attended the Royal Stoke University Hospitals AE for a heart check-up. But despite parents concerns, the schools 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 schemes 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 schools 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 sprays 1mg dose is small a lethal dose for an adult who doesnt smoke is 40 to 60mg the eMC says those who are not used to nicotine can suffer poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and dizziness. 