School and college leaders are dealing with increased risks associated with their student vaping recent research from the University of Bath has revealed.
An investigation led by the university’s Professor of Applied Biochemistry University, Chris Pudney, found that 1 in 6 (16.6%) of 596 vapes confiscated in 38 schools across England contained the synthetic street drug, spice. Overall, the tests of the vapes discovered spice in 28 out of 38 (74%) schools across London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and South Yorkshire. Roughly 1 in 100 (1.17%) contained THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis.
Professor Pudney’s team conducted these tests using the world’s first portable device that instantly detects synthetic drugs developed by his inter-disciplinary team at the University of Bath. His work has focused on the high use of spice within prisons and the device has been developed to help reduce its use there. However, they wanted to test the technology within schools and “were incredibly shocked to find how much spice there was.”
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme Professor Pudney said at first they thought their results might be an anomaly but by testing across more schools, across different regions, they showed that “it is everywhere” and in “every social strata”.
“I can’t believe it’s found its home in that niche in the school system,” Professor Pudney said.
He believes that now vaping is so common among young people there are some teenagers that want to experiment with cannabis. However, when they think they are being sold a THC vape they are actually buying one laced with spice. As explained in previous warnings about contaminated vapes THC is very expensive, while spice is cheap. Both are illegal in the UK, however THC vapes are legal in the USA.
Even without the concerns about spice in vapes, a survey of 4000 teachers in the UK conducted for the teachers’ union, the NASUWT, last year found 85% of teachers believe vaping is a problem on school premises. Over half (54%) of teachers reported that some pupils repeatedly leave lessons in order to vape, while a third (35%) report that some pupils are struggling to concentrate in lessons due to the effects of nicotine.
Meanwhile an article by the BBC published in June featured interviews with children at a primary school in Bradford. Many of the children had been offered vapes and their school was holding an event to explain to them the dangers of vaping. It is illegal to sell a vape or any nicotine product to someone under the age of 18.
Warning that some young people may now be addicts
Spice can cause a wide range of dangerous side effects, including cardiac arrest, and is a high cause of death within prisons. It is also an addictive drug and Professor Pudney is concerned that there may be a small group of young people who are now addicted.
Professor Pudney, added: “We know children can have cardiac arrests when they smoke spice, and I believe some have come quite close to death. Headteachers are telling me pupils are collapsing in the halls and ending up with long stays in intensive care.”
“This is not just a niche, one-off occurrence that happens in a school far away from you; this is something common”
A report by the BBC later featured an interview with a young person who said he became a spice vape addict and was vaping in school. He said he obtained the illegal vapes from a dealer he found on social media.
Head advises parents to talk to their children about the serious risks of spice
Ben Davis, Headteacher at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School in Salford, one of the schools that had its confiscated vapes tested in July, said: “We’ve had specific instances of young people under the influence of spice. I recall one young man describing how his hands felt like cartoon hands. He couldn’t control them and they felt like they didn’t belong to him. We’ve also witnessed two children collapsing.”
He added: “My message to families is, don’t assume your child is not involved. There’s a high chance they are, or they know someone who is. Please talk to them about it. Be open, non-judgmental, and accepting. As soon as you judge or blame, barriers will go up, and you won’t reach your child. This conversation is crucial for their safety.”
Following the interview with Professor Pudney, the Today Programme was contacted by a college principal in London. He said the college had noticed an increase in the level of intoxication of a small number of students which was different from that experienced previously when they had drunk alcohol or smoked cannabis. In one case an ambulance had been called for a student who had no idea what he had vaped and who subsequently was unable to return to the college.
Stronger government action may be needed
In a message to the new government Professor Pudney said simply banning single-use vapes would not be enough to counter the problem because the spice was being added to the traditional refillable vapes. He said people were not opening up these potentially illegal vapes so it may be necessary to go back and look at the details of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that was announced in the King’s Speech.
The Cranstoun charity supports young people with drug harm reduction and support can also be found on the Talk to Frank website. Vape detectors can help schools and other venues to tackle vaping among young people. Contact us to find out more.
