Police launch vape-spiking crackdown after teens as young as 14 admitted to hospital

Police in London are launching a crackdown on vape-spiking.

It comes after a case in the southeast of the capital where vapes were tampered with "cannabis products", leading to teenagers as young as 14 being admitted to hospital, the Metropolitan Police said.

Under the measures, new detection equipment is to be used by officers during checks at bars, nightclubs, party boats, music festivals, concerts and schools to test vapes suspected of containing drugs such as THC or spice, the force said.

Police will also use a range of drug-testing equipment including near infra-red detectors that can test powders and tablets suspected of containing drugs.

The Met received more than 2,000 allegations of spiking between March 2024 and March 2025. However, officers believe the true scale to be higher due to under-reporting.

Women and girls are disproportionately affected, with 66% of victims in August 2025 being female.

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Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell said: "Spiking is an abhorrent crime that we are tackling head on, whether it takes place in a nightclub, a private venue, or on the Thames.

"The ongoing trial of new vape-spiking detection kits is just one example of how we are innovating to get ahead of offenders and better protect the public."

He added: "If you think you've been spiked, please come forward - being spiked is never your fault, it's always the fault of the perpetrator. The sooner we know, the more we can do to support you, collect evidence and stop dangerous offenders from targeting others."

(c) Sky News 2025: Police launch vape-spiking crackdown after teens as young as 14 admitted to hospital