Four Gold Coast high school students are fighting for their lives in hospital after a suspected drug overdose, with police believing the substance may have been purchased off the internet.
Seven boys fell ill at St Stephen's College in Upper Coomera, with four taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition while a fifth was in a serious condition.
The other two boys were stable when they were taken to hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
Six of the boys are aged 15 and one is 14.
An older student told media outside the school the boys had taken anti-depressants belonging to one of the boys.
Authorities however suspect the substance is a powdered form of fantasy but must wait for toxicology reports before knowing for sure.
"These boys started to become very giddy, not aware of their surroundings, one was having trouble with his consciousness, others were feeling nauseous," Queensland Ambulance Service Inspector Patrick Berry said.
"QAS do have to applaud the response from the school. It has been absolutely amazing they have been able to identify these children were deteriorating and were able to have ambulance service respond accordingly."
Mr Berry said it was "too early to tell" just how the students would recover.
"At this stage we're leaning towards overdose," he said.
Police are investigating how the drugs were obtained with several students assisting them with their inquiries.
"The police are taking a very dim view of this and will be investigating," Acting Inspector Tony Wormald said.
"We're more concerned with where they got the drugs from, why they took it and hopefully everybody pulls through safely.
"We are making some inquiries as to whether or not they've purchased it off the internet themselves."
The school has contacted the families of the boys affected and principal Jamie Dorrington said he would visit the hospital later on Wednesday.
"Our primary concern at the moment obviously is to ensure their wellbeing, which I'm confident is being looked after," Mr Dorrington said.
