Overview

• Wiltshire Police reported a rise in Spice-laced vapes at local secondary schools, leading to multiple students being hospitalised with symptoms such as vomiting, fits and cardiac distress.
• Officers are using handheld testing devices developed with the University of Bath to screen confiscated vapes on site for synthetic cannabinoids and THC.
• On-site test results will feed into a contamination hotspot map that underpins planned warrants and coordinated operations with Trading Standards.
• A University of Bath study last year found roughly one in six confiscated school vapes contained Spice, highlighting the prevalence of the synthetic cannabinoid.
• Police are urging parents to talk with their children about vaping risks and asking schools to report suspect devices for immediate testing and support services.