Vape spiking

Vape spiking is typically when an e-cigarette/vape is laced with a substance such as synthetic marijuana, painkillers or vaporised LSD. Last month a festival goer at the Isle of Wight festival lost consciousness and suffered a seizure following a vape spiking in which she tried a stranger’s vape.

This was a prominent case of vape spiking in terms of its media attention but actually the first reported cases date back to 2019. Indeed, Dawn Dines of campaign group Stamp Out Spiking said vape spiking was a “hugely unreported crime”.

Although most licensed premises usually do not allow vaping in their venues (although allowing vaping inside is not a breach of smoking legislation), many pubs, restaurants and bars will have designated external or smoking areas where vaping can take place. Operators should therefore be alert to the possibility of vape spiking on their premises, particularly if its prevalence is on the rise as some experts believe to be the case.