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Spice use rise after HMP Cardiff smoking ban

Richard Sutcliffe/Geograph Cardiff PrisonRichard Sutcliffe/Geograph
HMP Cardiff's air quality got worse with the use of spice

There has been an increase in the use of the synthetic drug spice at HMP Cardiff after prisoners were banned from smoking, according to a report.

Nicotine patches and tea leaves were also smoked instead of nicotine after the prison banned cigarettes in 2016, the Independent Monitoring Board said.

It said assaults against staff increased by 160% in 2015-16, while attacks on prisoners rose by 15%.

The Ministry of Justice said the prison had "already taken urgent action".

Spice, an illegal psychoactive drug, can leave users in a zombie-like state.

'Potent' psychoactive drugs on the rise

In its latest report, the Independent Monitoring Board found violence had increased overall at the Victorian prison by 50% in 2015-16, while self-harming behaviour was also on the rise.

It said: "In March 2016 Cardiff became a non-smoking prison. This led to incidents of smoking other substances including nicotine patches, tea leaves and 'spice'.

Getty Images Spice drugGetty Images
Spice was among the new psychoactive substances made illegal in 2016

"Board Members noted that air quality on a number of wings became worse due to the smoking of illicit substances."

It added improved vaping products were introduced in April and "these do appear to be having a positive effect".

The prison in the centre of Cardiff can house up to 820 inmates, the majority of whom are on short-term sentences, on remand or awaiting sentence.

The report also noted aspects of accommodation "did not meet acceptable standards of decency".

It said there were a number of these issues related to maintenance, such as inadequate showers, while others were ongoing issues, including the lack of screening around toilets in cells.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "HMP Cardiff has already taken urgent action to improve safety and tackle the supply of drugs.

"Since this report, the prison has introduced body-worn cameras and increased support and interventions to prisoners, to address the root causes of violent behaviour.

"But we know more must be done, so we have improved care to offenders battling substance misuse. We have also recruited additional sniffer dog handlers to further crack down on illicit items entering the prison."