AS our calendars fill up for the busy festive period, most of us will be catching up with pals.
And as we let our hair down, the temptation to share a friend’s vape might kick in after a few beverages.
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Many of us don´t think twice about sharing vapes with pals, despite the potentially life-threatening risks this poses.
In fact, germs are the least of your worries when it comes to sharing the fruity-flavoured pens with your pals, according to one expert.
So much so , that just one puff of dodgy vapour can leave you temporarily paralysed.
This is due to the terrifying raise in vape spiking taking place in the UK.
Vapes have reportedly been spiked with drugs including GHB, ketamine and rohypnol, as well as types of synthetic cannabis including Black Mamba and Spice.
Mum-of-three Emma Sugrue-Lawrence, 46, knows this all too well.
Unknowingly, the support worker had inhaled a paralysing drug slipped into her vape in August 2021 by a complete stranger.
Within minutes of taking a puff, the mum from Telford, Shrops began to feel unwell in a bar smoking area.
She recalls: “I started sweating horrendously and felt really disorientated.
“I felt like I had taken drugs. I leaned against the railings and my legs just went. Then I lost the use of my body.
“I was paralysed, but aware of what was going on. It was horrifying. Slouched on the floor, I couldn’t open my eyes or even hold my head up.”
Emma remembers throwing up and then passing out shortly after, and she woke up in hospital several hours later.
She soon realised she had been a victim of vape spiking.
If your pal is passing their vape around for sharing, the risk of this happening is even higher, warns Markus Lindblad, nicotine retailing expert.
What are the new vape laws?
Ministers have pledged to crackdown on poorly regulated vapes and e-cigarettes following an explosion in the number of teenagers who use them.
New rules for manufacturers and shopkeepers are expected to come into force in late 2024 or early 2025.
They are set to include:
- Higher tax rates paid on vapes increase the price and make it harder for children to afford them
- A ban on single-use vapes in favour of devices that can be recharged
- A ban on colourful and cartoonish packaging that may appeal to youngsters
- Tighter controls on flavourings and a ban on unnecessarily sweet or child-friendly ones like bubblegum and candy
- More regulation on how and where they are displayed in shops, potentially putting them out of sight
- Harsher penalties for shops caught selling them to under-18s
The ban on disposable vapes is part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping.
A report published by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) last June found 20.5 per cent of children in the UK had tried vaping in 2023, up from 15.8 per cent in 2022 and 13.9 per cent in 2020.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt also announced plans to impose a tax on imported e-cigs and manufacturers, making vapes more expensive.
The duty will apply to the liquid in vapes, with higher levels for products with more nicotine.
“The number one tip for staying safe from vape spiking is to avoid sharing vapes,” he tells.
“While you may know what is in your vape, you do not know what someone else has put in theirs.
“This is especially relevant when it comes to sharing open system vapes, as they can be filled manually with any liquid.
“While the Met Police has identified THC and the drug Spice as the main contributors, there have been over 100 different drugs identified in cases of vape spiking.”
Markus also urged Brits to thoroughly analyse any vapes before taking a puff.
“Whether the vape you are ‘borrowing’ has been with you the whole time, or not, it is vital to look over the vape to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with,” he warns.
“If it’s reusable, check the pod to see if the top has been removed, or if it looks like liquid has been added or discarded.
“If it looks like it has been tampered with at all, then don’t use it.”
