wars The battle against former legal highs forced suppliers and users underground, but the war on Spice is far from over. Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan are leading the fight
Instead of Manchester being the problem, it is actually developing the solutions
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he shuffling figures have filled our screens and newspapers. Sensationalist headlines about zombies, epidemics and chaos have become the norm. However, this isn’t some George A Romero film – this is a tragic reality of the now outlawed dangerous synthetic drug Spice. The phenomenon is as captivating as it is concerning. Previously regarded a problem largely at the margins of society, the laboratory-made narcotic burst into the public consciousness and the media’s attention after some
Met Magazine issue 4
serious incidents in Manchester. However, instead of Manchester being the problem, it is actually developing the solutions. The city is at the forefront of developing proactive action – and Manchester Metropolitan University is leading the way. Dr Oliver Sutcliffe, Senior Lecturer in Psychopharmaceutical Chemistry, and Dr Rob Ralphs, a Reader in Criminology, are expanding our understanding of what is actually in these drugs as well as exploring the human effects – for both users and the
professionals who have to deal with the fallout. Co-lead on this work is Dr Paul Gray, Senior Lecturer in Criminology. The research team is also part of the interdisciplinary Substance Use and Addictive Behaviours research group (SUAB). The pioneering research being conducted at the University has raised awareness of both the composition and consequences of the drug in a way that has not been replicated anywhere else in Britain. Misunderstanding, rumours, the use of a generic brand name