What is vape spiking? How THC and ‘zombie’ drug Spice are ending up in schoolchildren’s vapes

A Professor who has started testing vapes across the UK has warned that schoolchildren are at serious risk of harm due to the adding of illicit substances. 

Professor Chris Pudney, a Professor of Applied Biochemistry at the University of Bath, began testing vapes from across the country looking for THC and Spice. 

But what exactly is Spice or THC? What are the dangers of it and how prevalent is it in the UK? 

What drug is spice? 

Spice is a synthetic drug which is designed to act like the main psychoactive chemicals in cannabis. It is plant matter that is sprayed with a number of chemicals to replicate the ‘high’ cannabis gives. Effects of the drug take place almost immediately and can last up to six hours. 

Why is spice known as 'the zombie drug'? 

Spice is known as ‘the zombie drug’ because it has been seen to cause a range of symptoms, including psychosis, muscle spasms and aggressive behaviours. It can also make people feel completely dissociated from their body. For this reason people who have taken Spice are often reported to look like zombies while experiencing the drugs’ effects.

What is THC? 

THC is short from tetrahydrocannabinol. It is the part of the cannabis plant that makes people feel ‘high’, not the part that makes people feel more relaxed.

How are children's vapes being spiked with THC and spice? 

Experts say children’s vapes are being spiked with THC and Spice via the liquid put into refillable vapes. Those looking at the issue say it is highly unlikely to be happening with single-use vapes that can be purchased over the counter. There is a concern that individuals are doing this to vapes and then selling them to unsuspecting children who think they are buying nicotine based products. 

Why is Spice being added to vapes? 

It is thought that Spice is being put into the vapes of people who are actually trying to purchase THC vapes to try to get a quick ‘high’. However Spice is incredibly cheap in comparison to THC so often dealers are substituting it for Spice in order to make more money from the products they sell

How prevalent are Spice vapes across schools in England? 

Given that it is a relatively new issue, nobody yet has a clear picture of just how bad the problem of vapes laced with Spice is in the nation’s schools. However, police forces across the country are working to gather intelligence around the topic. 

Professor Chris Pudney has started testing vapes confiscated by headteachers from across the UK. So far he has sampled vapes from 30 schools in England - vapes from 25 of those schools were found to contain spice. In total he tested 536 vapes, 11 per cent of those contained spice and 1.5 percent of those tested positive for THC. 

What are the dangers of THC and Spice?

THC has a relatively low risk profile - overdosing on THC is very unusual. However it’s very easy to overdose on Spice because it’s so incredibly potent. Taking Spice often makes people feel dissociated - like they’re not in their own body - which can put them at risk of harm. It can give rise to a change in blood pressure and it can give rise to seizures.  It can also cause more extreme effects like psychosis.