‘THC vapes’ laced with other substances - fact sheet for educators

So-called ‘THC vapes’ are becoming popular among young people and are illegally available through online platforms, including social media. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main psychoactive ingredient in the cannabis plant. Possession is always illegal, unless prescribed in a medicine by a doctor.

Using THC has its own risks, but vapes claiming to contain it often contain more harmful substances, such as synthetic and semi-synthetic cannabinoids, often known as ‘Spice’ (referred to as ‘synthetic cannabinoids’ here). The effects of synthetic cannabinoids can be very different to those of THC and have contributed to a number of overdoses, and even deaths, in recent years in the UK.