Five teenagers aged between 14 and 16 were admitted to hospital after using a re-chargeable vape that was ‘laced with drugs.’
The teens, from Elthan, South East London, experienced confusion, vomiting, and a reduced level of consciousness, with one put in an induced coma.
The vapes called ‘Vaporesso’ are said to have included the drug ‘spice’ that is commonly referred to as a ‘zombie drug’ due to its adverse side effects.
This incident comes after months of alerts to young people using vapes laced with the harmful drug.
Two other young people were harmed after using a vape laced with spice labelled as ‘Lemonade Vape Cookies’ in a separate incident in Merton, South London, The Mirror reports.
It is believed the youngsters were unaware of what was in their vapes.
In a statement made last week, The Welsh Emerging Drugs and Identification of Novel Substances service claimed that people purchasing e-cigarettes laced with Spice may have thought they contained cannabis or CBD oils.
The effects of spice have been designed to mimic that of cannabis, however, they can be very different.
Spice usage can leave the consumer with dizziness, breathing difficulties, chest pain, heart palpitations, and seizures, with some users even being temporarily paralysed.
More severe side effects of Spice can include paranoia, suicidal thoughts, psychosis, and acute kidney injuries.
Incidents involving the drug have also been reported in Manchester, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, and Wales, with officials fearing that the drug is sweeping the UK.
‘The increased risk of overdose from high-potency drugs shouldn’t be underestimated. People may not be getting what they think they are getting’, Professor Rick Lines of Public Health Wales told The Mirror.
‘The risk of fatal overdoses is high from some of the samples we receive, especially when substances are used by those who don’t realise the risks they pose or when they are using them in combination with other substances.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that disposable vapes are set to be banned across the by the end of this year under new plans.
The new plan means that e-cigarettes will be sold in a limited handful of flavours, with tobacco style packaging out of sight of children, in an effort to reduce the environmental impact and the risks posed to children’s health.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE : New map reveals the UK’s vaping capital – and it’s not London
MORE : Rishi Sunak earned £2,200,000 last year but paid same tax rate as a teacher
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
