SPICE, THE NEW DRUG, IS WORRYING GREAT BRITAIN

The new drug, sold on social media with alluring names and colours, is worrying Great Britain. They are called 'spice' but are nothing more than laboratory-produced substances that cost five times less than cannabis, imitate the psychotropic effects of THC, and hit the brain with devastating power. Seizures, hallucinations, fainting, cardiac arrests, but also drowsiness and loss of appetite are among the effects.

'We found that about 70% of the TikTok accounts and over 50% of the Instagram accounts that claimed to sell THC were actually selling Spice,' reports Professor Chris Pudney, head of the University study. 'Kids think they are buying cannabis, but they are ingesting a cheaper, more powerful, and much more dangerous compound.'

The numbers are alarming: 1,923 e-cigarettes were seized in 114 English secondary schools. 13% contained Spice. In London and Lancashire, the percentage soars to 27%. Children aged 12, 13, and 14 are unknowingly inhaling a liquid designed to short-circuit the brain.

The new drug, which originated as a prison drug, has now taken hold in schools. Ofcom, the UK's online safety authority, has launched investigations into 47 platforms and promises fines of up to £18 million for companies that fail to promptly remove illegal content.