Spice

Spice can be either smoked in a joint, bong etc or if bought in a liquid vaped.

It is most commonly used in vaping.

These types of man-made drugs (synthetic cannabinoids) act like THC (see THC) but are often a lot stronger.

This means it can be easier to use too much and experience unpleasant and harmful effects which can include:

• feelings of being happy, euphoric and relaxed, with some people getting the giggles, feeling hunger pangs and becoming very talkative, while others get more drowsy

• mood and perception can change, concentration and coordination may also become difficult

• synthetic cannabinoids, possibly because of their potency, are more likely to be associated with hallucinations than natural cannabis

How long the effects last and how long the drug stays in your system is different for each person.

It will depend on a persons size, how much they have taken and if they have taken any other drugs.

As this is a man-made drug the strength can vary each time you buy it.

The risks with vaping a synthetic cannabinoid are much greater than vaping THC or smoking any other form of cannabis.

For anyone using for the first time or if they are vaping but not aware that it is spice, the effects can be very strong and a person may collapse for a short time (around 20mins) before coming round.

Other risks include high fever, rapid pulse, confusion or convulsions.

Prolonged use of Spice has also been linked to acute kidney injury.

SPICE can also affect their mental health increase of panic attacks, paranoia, potentially leading to a period of psychosis.

See: Cannabis and THC - Vaping