Drug alert after Spice vaping kids collapse
SCHOOL kids in Rochdale have collapsed after vaping Spice mis-sold as ‘natural cannabis’.
Medics have treated at least nine people in Greater Manchester after they inhaled the mind-bending drug, which they thought was THC vape liquid.
Of those nine patients, six collapsed and fell ill in Rochdale, Bury and Oldham.
The incidents happened between February and June.
On two separate occasions, groups of children were taken to hospital in Oldham.
Three young people were also taken to hospital
in Rochdale, and one in Bury.
No one has suffered long-term health effects, but hospital bosses are warning people that vaping Spice may be fatal.
Two forms of the drug have been recovered one in a 10ml e-liquid bottle and another in a ready-filled e-cigarette cartridge. They are often sold as either ‘THC vape juice’; ‘THC vape pens’; ‘THC oil’; ‘cannabis vape juice’; or ‘cannabis oil’.
The warning was issued on behalf of the Greater Manchester Drug Alerts Panel, which brings together police, NHS, local authorities and drug user support agencies.
Dr Prun Bijral, a member of the panel, said: “It is very worrying that we have seen half a dozen incidents of young people collapsing and having to be taken to hospital after vaping these products.
“Fortunately it does not seem likely they will suffer any long-term harm, but we don’t want to see anyone else affected, particularly as we approach the school summer holidays.
“Inhaling even a single vape of this type of drug in this way for a young person with no tolerance is highly likely to lead to negative physical and mental effects.
“Young people who buy this product thinking it will have an effect similar to natural cannabis are not only being ripped off, they are also putting themselves and their friends in real danger.”
Michael Linnell, coordinator of the Greater Manchester Drug Alerts Panel, added: “These vape liquids are being mis-sold to young people who think they are buying something that is highly desirable in their eyes, but which in fact is a synthetic product that has the same chemicals used in street Spice.
“The risk of vaping spice is far more dangerous than from a natural cannabis product.
“It is difficult for even experienced spice users to judge dosage and unintentionally administering a toxic dose is common.
“Severe poisoning is far more common with synthetic cannabinoids than with cannabis and in some cases, the poisoning may even be fatal.”
Police are investigating.
No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information is asked to cal police on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reports can also be made via the LiveChat function on the GMP website.