5 expert tips to stay safe amid festival vape spiking
1. Don’t share your vape
Whilst at a festival enjoying the music and sunshine, it can be easy to share your vape with strangers who may ask for a puff. However, sharing could instantly leave you susceptible to vape spiking. This entails lacing vapes with substances such as vapourised LSD, which can lead to serious health implications. In crowded scenes such as festivals, it is hard to be aware of everything going on around you. Therefore, it is always best to avoid sharing your vape to ensure that you know it is safe and hasn’t been tampered with.
2. Don’t accept vapes from strangers offering them
Festivals are full of thousands of people all coming together to enjoy their favourite artists, and amongst this fun, some people may offer you a puff of their vape or offer for you to try their flavour. If this happens to you, you should make sure to decline the offer, as this could be another method used to leave you susceptible to the dangers of vape spiking. When taking a vape from a stranger, you can never be sure of what it may contain and if it is safe to smoke. Therefore, it is recommended that you never accept a vape from a stranger to help avoid this health risk.
3. Ensure no one tampers with your own vape
In a bustling, crowded event, it is easy to not be aware of your surroundings, especially whilst you’re listening to your favourite music acts. However, keeping track of where your vape is can be crucial. You should look to store your vape in the same way that you would store your phone, bank card, or other important personal possessions. If you do have a vape, store it somewhere, such as a pocket or bag, for instance. If you find it in a different place than where it was originally stored, it is always best not to smoke it again. Investing in a case to store your vape is a really good idea if you are going to a festival, as it helps keep everything together and protects your device when not in use.
4. If you find a vape you dropped or lost, don’t smoke it again
It is easy to drop things or lose possessions at festivals if you aren’t careful. If you drop your vape and someone claims to have found it, ensure not to smoke it again, as you cannot be sure if it has been tampered with. Secondly, if you find it on the floor or anywhere it shouldn’t be, make sure not to smoke it again, as this still could have been tampered with in the time it took for you to relocate it.
5. Buy vapes from reliable retailers
Some festival-goers may even offer to sell you vapes themselves for prices which may seem cheap. This may be tempting if you want a vape and have lost yours and forgotten to bring it. However, it is strongly recommended not to buy vapes from anywhere that isn’t a reliable, trusted retailer, as these vapes could be laced with substances such as vapourised LSD or synthetic marijuana, which could jeopardise your health and put you at risk of vape spiking. Regular retailers sell vape kits for around £5, so anything cheaper is worth questioning.
Dan Currey, Director of a vape and CBD shop, says:
“Thousands of people will be flocking to festivals this summer, and with the increase in vaping, many will be taking their vapes along with them. It is therefore crucial to ensure everyone is careful with what they are vaping and where they have obtained it from.
Using a case to store your device is a really good idea as a festival goer, as it can help protect your device when not in use. Additionally, checking the packaging of a vape can be a good indicator as to its legitimacy. Vape packaging should have nicotine warnings clearly printed and include a best-before date. Each vape should also have a serial number that you can check. If unsure, you can search the number on MHRA to make sure if it’s legit or not. If the vape doesn’t include this information, it may be a fake. Being at a festival means it is unlikely you’ll be able to go to your local vape shop if you run out, therefore whether you are using disposables or your usual vape kit, there is no harm in bringing an extra disposable or a spare coil to avoid any temptation to buy vapes from strangers.”
If you think you or someone you know has been spiked, make sure to tell staff members at the event or the police. If someone you know has been spiked, stay with them, and call for medical help if symptoms are severe or worsen.
Featured Photo by Quinten de Graaf on Unsplash
