Police use new testing device to detect spice-contaminated vapes in Wiltshire schools

The initiative comes in response to a national rise in the number of vapes found to contain spice - a potent lab-made drug that mimics the effects of cannabis but can cause severe side effects such as seizures, heart attacks, and breathing difficulties. Other symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, racing heartbeat, sweating, anxiety, and paranoia.

Although Wiltshire has not recorded a significant number of such cases, police said there have been a few incidents resulting in hospitalisation, and investigations are ongoing into where the vapes were purchased.

The new testing initiative is being carried out in partnership with Bath University, Swindon Borough Council, and Wiltshire Council. Suspected vapes will be analysed to determine if they contain substances like THC or spice.

PCSO Jon Akehurst explained: "We want to find out if any of these vapes have THC or spice in them, which could help us form a hotspot map where there are concerns in the local communities and where it is suspected that children are accessing these contaminated vapes. We can then look at what actions we might take, such as warrants and working with Trading Standards."

He added that the focus is not on punishing students but on ensuring their safety and well-being. "We are not looking at taking any punitive action towards students. We want to make sure that they have the right support; within Wiltshire we would use Connect, and in Swindon we would use U-turn. We would refer the young person to that youth service so that they can have an honest conversation with somebody around substance misuse and what the dangers are."

Schools across the county have been supportive of the initiative. "We want to make sure schools know what service we are offering and how to contact us, as well as being able to have open conversations with us if they think they have a concern," PCSO Akehurst said.

He also encouraged parents to speak openly with their children about the risks of using vapes. "Make it clear that if you do take these things, it has an impact on your life. You may have a substance addiction; you might need it constantly, it's going to cost you money, and you could end up in debt. There are real-life consequences for anyone taking drugs. If you are concerned about your child, there are people that can help and support you."

PCSO Akehurst said: "We've seen vomiting and behaviour changes, and we've had an incident where there were concerns that a child was having a fit. The reactions can be very, very broad. Behaviour changes seem to be the biggest concern for schools, with students being fine before lunch, but after lunch they are elevated in aggression, say."

He concluded: "It is becoming more and more common for us to see children using vapes, but so far in Wiltshire, we are quite lucky that we have not seen a large number of contaminated vapes."

Wiltshire Police urge anyone who finds a vape suspected to contain cannabis or spice to report it and store it safely for testing. Reports can be made by calling 101 or visiting the Wiltshire Police website: Report a crime | Wiltshire Police.