Technology from the University of Bath used to crack down on vape spiking
It is a growing concern for police after reports of vapes being tampered with
New vape-spiking detection equipment developed at the University of Bath is being used in by police forces across the country to crackdown on the problem.
The technology, which has been used in nightclubs, at festivals, concerts and schools, allows rapid testing of vapes suspected to contain cannabis products, THC and spice.
It is a growing concern for police after reports of vapes being tampered with, often shared between young people or handed out in social settings, the force added.
"We have particular concern around vapes where you can change the chamber of the liquid that it smokes," said Professor Christopher Pudney, from the University of Bath.
"For example, if one of those chambers is spiked an the other's not, the person looking to assault you can smoke it in front of you, change the chamber and then give it to you."
The crime disproportionately affects women and girls, with 66% of victims in August 2025 being female.
"Spice will make you dissociate like you're not in your body and it can make young people collapse," added Professor Pudney.
"The drugs we find in vapes are absolutely high risk for assault.
"Treat this issue with vape-spiking like you would with drink-spiking.
"The way you behave to mitigate against drink spiking, just think in the same way about vapes. If someone you don't know is giving it to you - you shouldn't be using it."
Former Love Island contestant Sharon Gaffka has been campaigning for legislative change after her drink was spiked five years ago.
She said she was having lunch in London with friends when she became unwell and walked to the toilets where she lost consciousness.
Ms Gaffka said she was really glad to see the new testing being used by police, adding: "I got to witness in the briefing room earlier how we're now updating testing, because spiking has moved along, like I was drink-spiked, but I'm meeting people that are being spiked with needles, being spiked with vapes.
"If we're not doing anything, it's going to keep moving faster to the point where we can't keep up with it. So that's the kind of changes I was really glad to see."