UK: violence, debt and lockdowns

It is the powder wreaking havoc inside Teesside’s biggest prison. Spice has been blamed for Holme House Prison wardens “dropping like flies” after inhaling it. A 5.6kg smuggled spice stash - worth an estimated £200,000 - was found in cells last month, stuffed in cappuccino, Oats-so-Simple and Weetabix packets.
It was the biggest haul in UK prison history.
This week, a 68-year-old prison nurse became the UK’s oldest ever jailed drug smuggler after staff foiled granny Elsie Watson’s plot to bring spice into the Stockton jail.
But what is spice - and why it such a problem in Holme House?

What is spice ?¶

A mix of herbs and chemicals, the potion dubbed ‘fake weed’ was invented accidentally in an American lab by a boffin trying to create a new anti-inflammatory.
It was soon declared unfit for human consumption - but its popularity exploded during the legal high boom.
And its potency quickly saw it dubbed a ‘zombie’ drug due to the state it left users in.

Why is it popular in prisons¶

It is cheap and strong. And arguably, it is even more appealing to those dealing it than those smoking it. At Watson’s sentencing, Teesside Crown Court heard prevalent “attractive commodity” with a high profit margin. Available for as little a few quid a packet on the street, inside Holme House an ounce can fetch as much as £5,000.

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