58 Spice related incidents over weekend as Manchester experiences beginnings of Spice epidemic
- GMP report nearly 60 separate Spice-related incidents
- GMP's superintendent from city centre team issue statement reassuring public that police doing everything they can to tackle Spice epidemic in city
Spice, the once legal alternative to cannabis, is now plaguing the city of Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police have reported that Manchester is witnessing a flood of the synthetic cannabinoid, which witnesses claim turns its users into 'zombies'.
Spice causes in its users: hallucinations, psychosis, muscle weakness and paranoia, with viral videos of users show them twitching or in a comatose state.
GMP were called to 58 separate Spice related incidents over the weekend, hailing the possibility that the city is about to enter an epidemic with the drug.
A total of eight arrests relating the drug were made over the same weekend, with the ambulance service being required 24 times.
Superintendent Wasim Chaudhry from GMP’s City Centre team said: “We are doing all that we can to tackle the issue of people taking Spice in Greater Manchester. This is a problem that we cannot afford to get any worse."
Mr Chaudhry explained how the GMP is planning to tackle the rising crisis: “We have increased the number of specially trained officers to try and combat the issues and help those using Spice to access the support they need but to also ensure that danger of Spice is clearly communicated.
“Those who take spice are often left incapacitated or seriously ill need the help of our partners in the NHS and Ambulance Service."
Spice users can become aggressive and become a danger to themselves and others
“The truth is, tackling the issues caused by Spice is putting pressure on public services and is taking up a lot of our resources. Particularly in Manchester city centre.
“A multi-agency approach is the only way we can fight this battle. As a result we have been working with Manchester City Council’s Adults and Children's Services, rough sleeper team, outreach teams and local charities as well as North West Ambulance Service and the NHS.
The chaos that Spice caused in Manchester over the weekend looked like this:
- 24 Spice related incidents
- 15 Dispersal Orders Issued
- 3 Arrests Breach of Dispersal Order
- 1 Arrest Assault on Ambulance Crew
- 8 Ambulance requested/attend incidents
Saturday (8 April 2017)
- 18 Spice related incidents
- 1 arrest for breach of direction to leave
- 1 arrest for Section 39 Assault
- 2 dispersal notices issued
- 4 incidents involved the ambulance
- 16 Spice related incidents
- 1 Direction to Leave issued
- 1 Arrest Public Order
- 1 Arrest Obstruct Police
- 11 Incidents involved Ambulance