An inquest has found a young teen died after taking the synthetic cannabis known as Spice. The findings could make Luke Pennington the youngest Brit to be killed by the dangerous substance, which has been described as 'worse than heroin'.
Luke was at a sleepover with a few mates in Stockport earlier this month. They'd bought Spice earlier that day and Mr Pennington was the first to give it a try before handing it to a friend, according to the Manchester Evening News.
They both became ill and were rushed to Wythenshawe hospital, where he was placed in the intensive care unit. Despite doctors' best efforts, he couldn't be saved.
The inquest into his death hasn't formally declared he died as a result from taking Spice as the coroner is awaiting the results of a toxicology report.
Luke's headteacher at St James Catholic High School, Tim Beesley, said in a statement: "Our thoughts, prayers and sympathy go out to his family and friends at this very difficult time.
"We are offering support for any of our students who have been affected by his death, particularly those who knew him, as he was a very popular and well-liked member of our school community."
According to Drug Abuse, Spice is a mix of herbs that are laced with chemicals that try to replicate the feelings associated with weed. Ironically, they're often sold in packets that say 'Not Fit For Human Consumption'.
Some users report extreme anxiety, paranoia, nausea, confusion, violent behaviour, suicidal thoughts and hallucinations on some types of Spice. Withdrawals are also pretty horrendous, with people saying they have headaches, cramps, vomiting and sweating.
"There are many chemicals that remain unidentified in products sold as Spice and it is therefore not clear how they may affect the user," Drug Abuse reports. "Moreover, these chemicals are often being changed as the makers of Spice alter them to avoid the products being illegal."
Last year, Manchester police were called to nearly 60 separate incidents in one weekend that were in some way related to Spice. The drug has spread through England's north-west so rapidly because it's so cheap - with half a gram costing £5, according to the Guardian.
Researchers have found between 90 and 95 percent of Manchester's homeless are using the harmful substance.
Authorities were having a tough job outlawing the drug because manufacturers were just minutely changing the molecular structure every time one specific strain was banned. But in 2016, the UK government introduced the Psychoactive Substances Act, which criminalised all types of the synthetic substance.
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