Vapes laced with the dangerous drug Spice have been found in schools across Wiltshire, police have confirmed.
The contaminated devices, which have led to hospitalisations in some cases elsewhere in the UK, are now being tested using a new tool developed in partnership with Bath University.
The initiative is part of a wider effort involving Wiltshire Police, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council to tackle the emerging problem.
Spice is a synthetic drug that mimics the effects of cannabis but can cause far more severe health issues including seizures, heart attacks, and breathing difficulties. Other symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, a racing heart, sweating, anxiety and paranoia.
Though the number of contaminated vapes discovered in Wiltshire remains low, investigations are ongoing into where the devices are being sourced.
PCSO Jon Akehurst said: “We want to find out if any of these vapes have THC or spice in them, which could help us form a hotspot map where there are concerns in the local communities and where it is suspected that children are accessing these contaminated vapes.
“We can then look at what actions we might take, such as warrants and working with Trading Standards.
“We are not looking at taking any punitive action towards students. We want to make sure that they have the right support; within Wiltshire we would use Connect, and in Swindon we would use U-turn.
“We would refer the young person to that youth service so that they can have an honest conversation with somebody around substance misuse and what the dangers are.
“Schools have been really supportive of this work. We want to make sure schools know what service we are offering and how to contact us, as well as being able to have open conversations with us if they think they have a concern.
“I’d urge parents to have conversations with your child about the dangers and risks as well as what happens if they do use a vape which is contaminated with something.
“Make it clear that if you do take these things, it has an impact on your life. You may have a substance addiction; you might need it constantly, it’s going to cost you money, and you could end up in debt.
“There are real-life consequences for anyone taking drugs. If you are concerned about your child, there are people that can help and support you.
“Unfortunately, with spice there can be many different reactions. We’ve seen vomiting and behaviour changes, and we’ve had an incident where there were concerns that a child was having a fit.
“The reactions can be very, very broad. Behaviour changes seem to be the biggest concern for schools, with students being fine before lunch, but after lunch they are elevated in aggression, say.
“It is becoming more and more common for us to see children using vapes, but so far in Wiltshire, we are quite lucky that we have not seen a large number of contaminated vapes.”
Wiltshire Police is urging anyone who suspects a vape might be laced with cannabis or spice to contact them immediately and store the device safely so it can be tested.
