Synthetic cannabis substance ‘Spice’
A 14-year-old has been spending £50 a day on synthetic cannabis substance ‘Spice’ and has “significant offending” as a result of the habit, a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership has been told.
The PCSP, which held an online meeting on Wednesday evening, March 26, also heard that a seven-year-old has been smoking the drug.
Members who met to discuss drugs and alcohol use in Mid and East Antrim were informed that Spice, which is 300 times more potent than cannabis, is “the most commonly used” drug in vapes and is the “biggest issue” regarding drug use among young people at present.
Guest speakers at the meeting included community planning Sergeant Morena Wickham-Thomas, Police Mid and East Antrim; Natasha McDonough, Start360 and Christina Li, ASCERT. These agencies work in partnership with Mid and East Antrim PCSP through its Drugs and Alcohol Steering Group.
Sgt Wickham-Thomas reported there have been 12 drug-related deaths in K District which covers Mid and East Antrim during 2024.
She explained the K District support hub aims to “empower” people to get support and reduce offending and to intervene at crisis points. She indicated that 90 per cent of the current cohort use drugs and alcohol at “harmful levels”.
She said the PSNI has received 34,449 calls during a recent 12-month period, 30 per cent of which are from vulnerable people. Through the hub, a number of agencies work together sharing information to ensure the best outcome for individuals.
“We are seeing a common theme of poly-drug use. Historically, people presented with one drug of choice are now using different drugs,” the sergeant stated.
Fifty-six per cent of people using drugs misuse services were using more than two drugs. The most commonly used drug was cannabis. Thirty-seven per cent used cocaine. The number of people using five or more drugs at once has doubled.
Seventy per cent of drug deaths involve pregablin. It was also revealed crack cocaine use is increasing in the Ballymena area at the minute.
“We are also seeing the knock-on effect of poverty and socio-economic situations. I do not think I have ever seen a situation in terms of poverty quite so serious,” the sergeant added.
She went on to say the “legacy of the Troubles” and “significant paramilitary influence” are “inextricably linked” to the drugs trade. She also highlighted “child criminal exploitation around the drugs trade”.
She commented on what she described as the “Covid effect” on people who would have used marijuana recreationally during the pandemic have moved on to drugs such as heroin or crack cocaine.
She added that loneliness and isolation are factors.
“We are a rural area. We have a lot of isolation and backdrop of trauma. We have domestic violence and sexual violence.”
Meanwhile, Natasha said there are 14 ‘Rapid’ bins in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area with four in Mid and East Antrim, at Tesco in Ballymena and Carrickfergus, Asda in Larne and The Braid Valley Health Centre in Ballymena for the disposal of illegal and prescription drugs.
She reported that 6,000 items were disposed of in the Northern Trust area, excluding Carrickfergus, between April 2024 and March 2025. “Quite a lot comes out of the Carrick bin,” she remarked.
“We have seen an increase in diabetic and weight loss medication, with an increase in weight loss injections, we have had an increase in needles. The bins are not for needles.”
The importance of the ‘Rapid’ bins has been emphasised as they give an indication of drug-taking trends in the community. Substances brought for disposal include Codeine, Diazepam, Tramadol, Duloxetine, Gabapentin and Oxycodone tablets.
Natasha went on to say there has been a “massive increase” in crack cocaine being injected “multiple times a day”.
Christina told the meeting the cost of alcohol and drugs misuse in Northern Ireland is estimated at £900m. “We are seeing a lot of younger people taking all sorts of substances,” she commented.
She expressed concern over the number of young people who think it is “OK to drive while smoking cannabis”.
She reported that 29 per cent of children and teenagers, aged between 11 and 16 years, have tried alcohol at least once. Three per cent have tried cannabis and 16 per cent have been offered drugs.
Forty-seven per cent had their first drink at the age of 13 or younger. Seventy-five per cent live in a household where at least one adult drank. One in five adults thought they should cut down on their drinking.