An expert has cautioned that because Spice has been added to their vapes, young people may die over the summer break.
Professor Chris Pudney, an applied biochemistry professor at the University of Bath, has been evaluating vape pens that are being used by youth all throughout the nation.
He declared that it is now a “struggle” to locate an English school where Spice-containing vapes are not available, calling the practice nearly “endemic” and emphasising the need for us to begin “being honest about it.”
The Professor visited a few schools where students reported collapsing after vaping, some of them with apparent Spice-induced cardiac arrests.
Other head teachers said that some students were “completely out of it” and that “children were vomiting on themselves in assembly.”
Spice was discovered in vapes seized from 25 of the 30 schools in England whose devices Professor Pudney analysed.
Since Easter of this year, he has examined 536 vapes in total, and of those, 11% included Spice and 1.5% contained THC.
“I think what’s really shocked us is that it’s an enormous problem in schools,” he said to ITV News West Country.
Spice is a narcotic that is virtually solely found in UK jails, where it is linked to over half of all non-natural fatalities. Therefore, it greatly astonished us to learn that spice is as common, if not more so, in our schools.
It would be difficult, in my opinion, to locate a school where Spice vapes are not available. Based on all of our sampling, it appears that every school, regardless of background, is impacted by this.
It’s something that affects everyone, not just those in a certain area or at a specific school. It happens so frequently that I no longer find it shocking.
Professor Pudney expressed his concern that some kids are becoming dependent on the substance to the point that someone could pass away over the summer break while others might suffer from unpleasant withdrawal symptoms while not in school.
“My worry, as we go into the summer, is that children who have become addicted to Spice, when they go into the summer they won’t be using around their friends or in school where there is help available,” he said, considering the potential effects this could have over the summer break.
“They might begin using in their room or on their own, and if they pass out in the room on their own, they will just pass away.
“I’m worried that there will be a death because we’ve reached a point where the drug is so widespread and has such a high risk.”
“There are definitely some addicted kids here, and we’re not sure how they will react if their supply is cut off over the summer.”
He cautioned that because spice is easier to obtain and far less expensive than other illegal narcotics, it is growing more and more popular.
In the UK, educators have issued a warning that vapes that contain illegal substances are beginning to resemble county lines-style drug peddling operations.
Drug dealers in big cities create networks called “county lines” to supply and sell drugs to users in towns and rural regions by utilising other people.
“I think we’re probably guilty of people wanting to brush it under the rug a little bit,” Professor Pudney continued. Schools don’t want their drug use to be perceived as a serious issue.
People I’ve spoken to realise there is a drug problem, but they don’t really want to talk about it because councils don’t want to be perceived as having one.
“We have to be extremely mindful of the risk that young children pose when they come into contact with these really strong drugs, who they get them from, and whether that puts them in the company of people who want to groom them to be involved in more serious drug dealing, like county lines.” This drug is primarily found in prisons and is linked to organised crime.
According to Professor Pudney, it’s critical that efforts be made to inform students about the risks involved with using spice and its potential hazards.
Based on his investigation, the majority of vapes that included Spice were refillable devices, and single-use branded vapes were extremely uncommon.
He believes that kids are getting their hands on Spice vapes because they mistakenly believe that they are smoking THC, the component of cannabis that gives users a “high,” and they are buying the devices as “cannabis” vapes.
However, THC has a relatively low risk profile and rarely causes overdose deaths. However, spices are extremely powerful and can have sinister negative effects.
“If you suspect your kids are vaping something that gives them some effect, it’s very unlikely to be THC or cannabis, which is a very low risk drug,” he stated, addressing the parents.
Spice is far more likely to be the culprit. You should discuss the risks openly with your child if you observe them acting suspiciously.
In a couple of seconds, Professor Pudney’s testing apparatus can now determine whether vapes contain Spice or THC.
In addition to pushing police agencies to utilise the gadget to assist track the issue, he has been bringing the kits into schools to enable headteachers get a feel of the situation.
“Over the summer, we’re trying to get as many of these out of the lab to support them before the new school year starts,” he added. “We’ve been trying to give these away to as many police forces to support their activities.”
One of the agencies testing the implementation of Professor Pudney’s new equipment is Devon and Cornwall Police.
“We have had reports in our area from public health and schools about young people becoming adversely affected by vaping,” said Inspector Sarah Ronayne, Plymouth’s Partnerships Inspector, to ITV News.
“Vapes may include THC or spice, which can have detrimental effects on your health when smoked.
It’s too early to say how widespread this is at this time. We have been interacting with all of the city’s secondary schools in an effort to inform our youth about the risks involved in vaping.
“With the equipment from Professor Pudney we will now be able to test and hopefully be able to gain a more accurate picture of the effects and impacts.”
“We are banning vapes from being branded and advertised to appeal to children, including restricting their packaging, flavours, and display,” a government spokesperson declared.
“Moreover, the government established an enforcement squad for illicit vapes last year to target unscrupulous vendors and conduct product testing.”
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