London, March 20: In a concerning incident, a student was hospitalised after using a vape containing THC and the synthetic drug Spice at Herne Bay High, Kent in the UK. The student, who had just left school on February 29, was given the vape by another student and collapsed shortly after inhaling it.

The Metro reported that vape was found to be laced with THC, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis, and Spice, a synthetic cannabinoid that is illegal in the UK. School staff and emergency services quickly attended to the student, requiring immediate clinical intervention before being taken to the hospital. UK: Rishi Sunak-led Government to Ban Disposable Vapes Over Concerns of Sharp Increase in Usage by Children.

Principal Jon Boynes of Herne Bay High addressed the incident in a letter to parents. He revealed that the vape fluid had been purchased from an unregistered online source. He emphasised the severity of the situation, stating that clinicians had informed him of fatalities related to similar products.

The student has since made a recovery, and Principal Boyes has called for parents to have conversations with their children about the risks of vaping. The school is committed to working with the police and reinforcing in-school education on making safe and healthy lifestyle choices. UK: 89-Year-Old Man Dies of Overdose of Vitamin D Supplements That Did Not Warn About Risks of Excessive Intake.

In another incident that occurred in October last year, a 12-year-old girl suffered a lung collapse and spent four days in an induced coma. In a move to address the alarming rise in youth vaping, the UK government, led by PM Rishi Sunak, is set to prohibit disposable vapes. The initiative aims to make vaping less appealing to children by restricting flavours, introducing plain packaging, and minimising shop displays. These changes are anticipated to take effect by late 2024 or early 2025.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2024 09:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).