The National College of Ireland's Student Union has warned students about the growing threat of vaping products being spiked.
On Saturday, June 17th, a young woman was spiked after taking a puff of a vape from a stranger at the Isle of Wight festival in England.
Chloe Hammerton, a 26-year-old trainee paramedic, instantly collapsed after inhaling the smoke. She experienced pins and needles throughout her body before suffering from a seizure, losing control of her bladder and vomiting.
She was taken to Southampton General Hospital where she continued to vomit for a further 16 hours. She described it as the "scariest thing" she had ever experienced.
A 51-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of administering a poison or noxious substance with intent.
The first reports of vape spiking, which involves lacing an e-cigarette with an unknown substance to administer it into a victim’s body without their consent, emerged in 2019. Experts have warned that the number of people who are falling victim to vape spiking is on the rise.
Dawn Dines of the UK campaign group "Stamp out Spiking" said vape spiking was a "hugely unreported crime."
Usually the substances that are being used to spike people with vaping products are synthetic marijuana, painkillers and vaporised LSD.
Spiking through the use of vaping products is uncommon in Ireland so far. New proposed legislation could see those who are guilty of spiking face up to 10 years in jail. However, this only covers spiking where the substance has been injected or put into a drink. It does not yet cover this newer form of spiking through vaping products.
The National College of Ireland's Student Union (NCISU) wants to ensure that their students and other young people are prepared for when this form of spiking grows in popularity in Ireland.
The NCISU have posted pre-cautions that students and young people can take in order to avoid vape spiking on their social media accounts.
The measures include making sure not to accept a stranger's vape, making sure not to share your vape with strangers, ensuring that no-one tampers with your vape, making sure that you do not use or share your vape if you are suspicious that someone has tampered with it and ensuring that you buy your vaping products from a reliable retailer.
