Essex charity warns students about alcohol and vape spiking
As students are going back to universities in Essex, an alcohol charity is warning of the dangers of spiking in drinks, vapes and cigarettes
As university students are going back, an alcohol and drug charity are warning of the "dangerous threats" of spiking.
Open Road provide alcohol and drug recovery services in Essex and Medway.
They've told us a lot of what they're seeing at the moment is "vape spiking".
According to The Metropolitan Police, reports of spiked vapes increased by 13 per cent in 2023, with the electronic cigarettes being laced with substances including spice.
Joni Thompson is the clinical business and development director at Open Road.
She tells us, "The biggest thing we're seeing at the moment is young people not knowing what is in their vapes."
She tells us, "Spice, cannabis, or what used to be called 'illegal highs' are quite often put into vapes."
Vape spiking involves harmful substances being added to a person’s vape device without their knowledge.
Experts say vapes are spiked via the liquid put into refillable vapes.
Drugs such as THC and Spice have been commonly associated with this “dangerous” rising trend.
What is spice?
Spice is a synthetic drug which is designed to act like the main psychoactive chemicals in cannabis.
It is plant matter that is sprayed with a number of chemicals to replicate the ‘high’ cannabis gives.
Effects of the drug take place almost immediately and can last up to six hours.
Mrs Thompson tells us of other spiking forms:
"If someone asks for a single, and they get given a double or a triple, that is also a common form of spiking."
"Cocaine and Ketamine combined, known as Pink, is also a very popular drug that we're seeing more of."
She gives advice to students ahead of going back to university:
"Just be mindful of taking drinks, vapes and cigarettes off people you don't know.
"When you go to university, we're all meeting new people for the first time and want to be trusting of them. But remember you haven't built that relationship up yet.
"If you think you or a friend have been spiked, go and get some help from bouncers first. They will help you get medical help as most have been trained.
"Don't be on your own. Ask someone you know to be with you in case the symptoms of the spiking get worse."
Open Road offer SOS bus services in Colchester and Chelmsford for those in need of support.
"It's really hard to know whether someone has been spiked. But if someone says they think they have been, we take that seriously."
Open Road encourage purchasing anti-spiking devices such as spikey cups and bottle tops which prevent drink spiking from taking place.