The London Evening Standard reported this week that five teenagers were hospitalized after smoking vapes loaded with synthetic cannabinoids. 

The Standard nicknamed these vapes ‘zombie vapes.’ There is already a brand named Zombie Vapes, so we will avoid using that term. The Standard say it is due to the zombie-like effect that the vapes had on the teens which earned them the name.

The teenagers are from Eltham, South London, with reports in the Mirror suggesting that they used a Vaporesso rechargeable vape pen which had been filled with a synthetic cannabinoid. The paper also reminds us that 2 children in Merton were hospitalized for a similar problem.

We should note that this was a rechargeable device. The government’s intended ban on single use vapes would have made zero impact on this incident.

Police have warned that possession of vapes laced with Spice may be due to users thinking they are buying cannabis from dealers. Synthetic cannabinoids are far worse for you than cannabinoids are. Spice users have been nicknamed spice-zombies in the past.

According to the NHS, synthetic cannabinoids – also known as spice – can have the following symptoms:

• Chest pain and heart palpitations
• An inability to move
• Breathing difficulties
• Extreme paranoia
• Suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and psychosis.
• Acute kidney injuries

Since Spice is designed to imitate the taste of cannabis, the unwitting could purchase it by accident, leading to hospitalization.

As you can imagine, giving this type of substance to children and young teenagers can have far-reaching health complications.

There are simple rules that we can follow to insure that we don’t accidentally buy a fake vape filled with spice.

The first rule is obvious – not to buy vapes from street dealers. This includes vapes which you think may contain cannabis – which are illegal. Buy your second-hand vapes from a reputable source.

You can find every type of vape device that you need, from kits to coils, to disposables and vape juice, with Vape Direct in Milton Keynes. We are a well-known, long-standing vape store in the UK. There is no chance of a fake vape device when you shop online at VapeDirect.com.

You should report any suspicious vaping activity to trading standards. This includes fake vapes being sold in shops, vapes which are over the 2ml limit and, most importantly of all, if you see suspicious store owners selling vapes to children or teenagers.

You can report illegal vapes by calling the Citizens Consumer Service line on 0808 223 1133.