Fears that drug craze may soon spread north

Drugs: ‘Fake weed’ threatens to wreak havoc on the streets

A drug craze that turns users into “zombies” threatens to wreak havoc on the streets of Fife and Tayside.

Spice, a synthetic marijuana also known as “fake weed”, is said to be growing in popularity among drug users.

The drug’s effects have heaped pressure on emergency services in Manchester, with reports suggesting an estimated 80% of the homeless people in Liverpool are addicted to the substance.

Superintendent Derek McEwan, from Police Scotland’s Fife division, said it is only a matter of time before it becomes more widespread in this area.

“Naturally with these things it’s a sort of wave effect – inevitably if it’s down south then it’s only a matter of time before it crosses the border and comes into the country,” he said.

With the prospect of another dangerous drug doing the rounds in Fife, Mr McEwan said more awareness is needed among drug users about the potentially fatal consequences of using several substances together.

“I also do genuinely think there is a belief there out there among people that because a drug has been prescribed to them by a GP it’s then safe.

“If you take it in the dosage a GP recommends then I’ve no doubt it is safe, but if you start mixing it with alcohol, if you start mixing it with heroin, if you start mixing it with prescribed medication that’s perhaps not yours … that’s when these things can become a ticking time bomb.”

Fife Alcohol and Drugs Partnership said it had been alerted to an increase in harm caused by synthetic cannabis use, and warned that symptoms, such as dizziness, persistent vomiting, chest pains, palpitations and convulsions: “should not be ignored”.

Vice-chairman Ian Sloan said there was little evidence of a spike in the trade of Spice in Fife as yet, but admitted it was something the group was aware of.

Dave Barrie, manager of Dundee drugs charity Addaction, said: “It’s not something we’ve seen in Dundee, thankfully.

“By the looks of the strength of the drug we would be seeing it if it was there.

“Most of the news reports about it are about the physical and mental health harm that goes with this powerful legal high. Given the concerns about this drug we would encourage people to stay clear of it.”

Nik Brown, manager of Dundee Cannabis Club, which promotes the medicinal use of cannabis, also recently warned about the dangers of legal highs.

“I know of one person who smoked a synthetic cannabis and he actually ended up in a coma,” he said.

“You have no idea what is in these legal highs and when they are tested they often contain illegal compounds.”

Picture: Getty. Spice, a synthetic cannabis, is growing in popularity among drug users in the north of England.