University research into Spice presented at the Metropolis event on legal high policy with Mayor Andy Burnham, featuring comments from Dr Rob Ralphs.

He said: “Where it’s used by those vulnerable groups, the homeless and the prison population, it’s driven by the non-detectability, that it’s affordable and functional,” he said.

“It’s used to block out the trauma of being in prison and being on the streets to make prison time or life on the streets go faster. Whether it’s legal or Class A, B or C, that’s not going to make any difference to the motivations of why people are using it.”

Read the full article here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/14/uk-drug-strategy-hollow-without-more-money-says-burnham