A recent study by scientists at the University of Bath revealed that 13% of vapes confiscated from children in 114 schools across England contained spice, a synthetic cannabinoid. This figure rose to 25% in London and Lancashire.
The analysis, conducted last year, included all types of vapes, even those containing nicotine, not just those purporting to contain cannabis. Separately, the drug-testing service Wedinos, part of Public Health Wales, examined 297 samples labelled as containing THC, CBD, or cannabis in the year up to March 2025, finding 39% contained spice.
Professor Chris Pudney of the University of Bath stated that researchers also found these vapes are "overtly and blatantly available on the major social media platforms." He estimated that 68% of vapes bought via TikTok and visually triaged contained spice, compared to 12% bought via Facebook.
Spice, a catch-all name for various synthetic cannabinoids, can have acute health outcomes depending on the dosage. These can include psychotic episodes, aggression, hypertensive crises, seizures, or cardiac arrest. Professor Pudney noted that spice is "vastly more harmful than cannabis."
Annabelle Johnson from the charity Change Grow Live highlighted that schools often cannot distinguish between a normal vape and one containing spice. Jack Spicer, a senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Bath, added that spice vapes have no real smell, which may make them easier for children to use and become addicted.