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Warning over 'more dangerous' Spice strain in Greater Manchester

BBC A man standing doubled-overBBC
Police are continuing to battle and epidemic of the drug

A new "more dangerous batch" of Spice is being sold on the streets of Greater Manchester, authorities have warned.

Deputy mayor Beverley Hughes said recent testing had revealed the stronger strain and drug abuse support professionals had been "alerted".

The warning came after a drug testing machine developed by Manchester Metropolitan University was placed at a Manchester city centre police station.

Greater Manchester Police said the scheme is the first of its kind.

Strains of Spice in circulation are monitored by the Greater Manchester Drug Alert Panel, which combines input from agencies including the police and the NHS.

Man lay sprawled on street in Manchester
Spice users can "become aggressive" and "a danger to themselves and others", police have said

Ms Hughes said: "Tackling the use of Spice is very complex and there is no easy or single solution.

"However, the work of the panel enables the police, the city council and partner organisations to respond quickly and we are doing all we can to combat the problem and get the drug off our streets."

Police and MMU have been working together on tackling the effects of psychoactive substances for the past 18 months.

The new machine analyses substances within an hour, and allows the information to be sent to police officers and healthcare workers.

Supt Chris Hill said it would allow police to test unknown substances "as quickly as possible" and react speedily if there was "an ongoing danger or threat".

He added: "It's really important that we have all of the information possible so that we can continue to tackle the drug issues across Greater Manchester but also work with partners to keep people safe."