Two taken to hospital amid spice concerns

TWO people were taken to hospital after being found unconscious on a city-centre street amid continued concerns over synthetic drug spice.

A member of the public reported an unresponsive man and woman in St Mary Street to two PCSOs at about 4.15pm on Tuesday.

Police say on arrival they found an unconscious woman and a man who was conscious but not speaking.

The man and woman were subsequently taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, by emergency ambulance.

Manager of St Mary Street Spar Mirshad Khan said people standing nearby told him the two had been smoking the synthetic substance known as spice.

“I was serving a customer and I looked outside and there was a girl and a guy on the floor outside the shop,” Mr Khan, 37, said.

“The girl looked unconscious and totally didn’t know what was going on but the guy was only slightly gone.”

Mr Khan said he helped the man move the woman away from the door of the shop, where they both lay until the police arrived.

“There were some other people and they said they had spice. They were in a really bad position, really bad shape.”

He added: “Families are around, kids are around, and it’s not good for them to see these things. They should be treated properly and looked after properly.”

The Welsh ambulance service said two crews responded after being called to the incident at about 4.45pm.

It comes just one week after footage of a group of people slumped and passed out in the same location.

The video, captured by MJ Reed of the Welcome 2 Cardiff YouTube channel, shows passers-by rushing to help one person sprawled on the street and three slumped against a wall.

Drug and alcohol psychotherapist Nick Shepley, of Cardiff Living Room recovery centre, said: “We have a considerable problem with spice in Cardiff but what we have to remember is that this is a new drug and the media are very interested in it, but homeless people are just as affected by legal drugs such as alcohol.

“While it might seem new and shocking to us, it’s part of the experience of being vulnerable in our society as they are having to cope with the pain and suffering in their lives.”