WhAt thE POliCE SAY...
SUPERINTENDENT Chris Hill, from GMP, said: “We and our partners know that there is a more dangerous strain of Spice going around at the moment, and we’re doing all we can to tackle the people bringing it into our city centre and protect the people who are taking it.
“We also know that the hot weather makes people more likely to be out and about taking the drug in full view of the public.
“There is never a safe way to take drugs, particularly Spice, so we will always do everything we can to support users and get them the professional help that they need.
“However, when we know there is a particularly dangerous strain being sold on our streets we have to work together to do everything we can to make people aware of the increased danger, offer them support to stop using altogether but also seize the drugs.
“We’re stepping up our patrols and our visibility in the city centre. This will help us catch dealers, support those who might get into trouble and reassure people who witness something.
“In addition to this we are carrying out partnership patrols with key organisations that can help users as quickly as possible and are working with businesses to gather information about what’s happening in their area.
“In terms of warning and helping people who are most at risk we’re working with partners to get messages to them through drug support services in the city and beyond and we’re talking to professionals across the region to find out what’s going on elsewhere and make sure we’re doing all we can to stop these drugs coming in to our city.
“We have also liaised with health services to ensure there is appropriate guidance on what to do if someone comes across a person they think is under the effects of Spice.”