Prisoners left 'ultra violent' after using toothpaste and shower gel to make drugs
A report into HMP Durham, which holds just under 1,000 inmates, found prisoners were manufacturing drugs in jail using ingredients such as toothpaste and shower gel
Prisoners are using toothpaste to manufacture drugs that are making them ‘ultra violent’, a new report has revealed. The probe into HMP Durham, which holds just under 1,000 inmates, found that prisoners produced drugs in the jail.
Among the ingredients used to make Spice include toothpaste and shower gel. Spice is a home-made or lab-made drug made from a range of chemicals, but which also often contain rat poison and solvents like glue, paint, aerosols, and cleaning fluids.
It can also include common everyday products used to bulk it up included tea leaves, talcum powder – and even cannabis itself. Other items commonly mixed with Spice include sugar, protein powder, vitamin supplements – as well as prescription drugs.
The report into the jail by inspectors from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) stated that using toothpaste and shower gel to make Spice was an "emerging trend".
It stated: “One PS, a synthetic cannabinoid known as, Spice, can be manufactured by prisoners. The prison has risk assessments to ensure correct storage of items, including cleaning materials that could be used to manufacture illicit substances.
“An emerging trend is that prisoners are making drugs using everyday items such as toothpaste and shower gel. From the Board’s observations, the new drugs appear to increase aggressive, volatile behaviour in prisoners.”
In the past year there have been 517 assaults, a rise of 52% on the previous year, including 409 prisoner-on-prisoner attacks, and 108 on staff.
The report stated: “There have been 517 assaults in the reporting year, an increase of 52% on the previous reporting period. Of the 409 prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, 26 were classed as serious.
“Of the 108 staff assaults, 19 were classed as serious.” The report revealed also revealed that there had been a 50% increase in drug finds in the past year.
It also revealed how Mandatory Drugs Tests (MDTs) on lags found that 25% of inmates tested positive for drugs – against a national level of 15%.
It added: “Following strict national guidelines, the prison conducts several random MDTs every month. The percentage of positive MDTs is 25% against a target of 15%.
“The most prolific drug detected is the spice.”
It added: “The preponderance of psychoactive substances, commonly called, ‘Spice’, along with prisoners manufacturing drugs using everyday items such as shower-gel and toothpaste, is of concern to the Board.”
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “This Government inherited a prison system in crisis - overcrowded, with drugs and violence rife - and we fully acknowledge the challenges at HMP Durham.
“We are taking action against these, including through drug detection dogs and x-ray scanners which help clamp down on the contraband that fuels violence in prisons.”
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