Bath researchers carrying out pioneering drug testing work
They hope to create the world's first portable testing kit for the drug spice
Treatment and detection of the drug spice could soon be revolutionised thanks to work by researchers at the University of Bath.
A team has been granted ÂŁ1.3 million to try and create a small, portable device that could test for the drug within minutes.
They expect the new technology to be ready for use in clinical settings, prisons and across police services within three years.
Currently no such device exists anywhere in the world. At the moment the only way to test for the drug is by sending a urine sample to a laboratory for analysis, which can take three to seven days.
A prototype of the spice-detecting device was developed by the Bath team in 2019. It was found to detect the drug from street material and in saliva in less than five minutes and attracted interest from police forces, homeless charities, prisons and private enterprises.
Dr Chris Pudney from the University’s Department of Biology & Biochemistry, and creator of the new technology, said faster testing is essential if users are to receive treatment and harm-reduction interventions.
“There is no way of knowing if spice has been taken if someone presents with psychosis or intoxication symptoms that could also be due to other reasons. So we see the detection technology as a way to inform care in case of overdose” he said.
“Spice is endemic in homeless communities and prisons. It’s highly potent, addictive and poses severe health risks to users including psychosis, stroke, epileptic seizures and can kill.
"We want to deliver a detection system both to raise the prospect of rapid treatment and to stem the flow of drugs in these communities.”
It's said there have been recent reports of children mistaking spice for cannabis, leading to multiple hospital admissions, which is also a serious concern.
Also involved in the research is Dr Jenny Scott from the University’s Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology. She said: “Drug testing and checking, which is increasing in many countries around the world and in the UK, has been shown to have an impact on drug-taking behaviour and to potentially reduce risk.
“Spice use is a particular issue in homeless communities. In the future, we hope our technology can be used to offer drug testing to spice users and to tailor harm-reduction information to these vulnerable people. The machines could be used in drugs services, homeless hostels and further down the line, in pharmacies.”
By the end of the grant period, the group aims to start a not-for-profit social enterprise to bring their technology to the mainstream.
The group plans to roll out the full range of activities necessary to deliver the technology, including portable device design, analytical software development, chemical fingerprint libraries and the associated community pharmacy practice advice to deploy the technology effectively.
“We believe the scope and potential of our research is truly unique and presents the best chance for tackling spice use in the UK and more widely,” said Dr Pudney.