Devon & Cornwall Police News site

• Revolutionary handheld devices detect lethal synthetic drugs in seconds
• Technology helps police and prison officers protect vulnerable drug users
• Real-time detection enables life-saving warnings about dangerous substances
• Devices deployed across UK forces to combat surging synthetic drug epidemic
• Breakthrough protects communities from unregulated chemical threats

A revolutionary handheld device that helps to save lives by detecting dangerous synthetic drugs almost instantly has won its creators a prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Horizon Prize.

Team Harm Reduction has developed portable technology that can identify lethal synthetic substances within seconds, enabling police and prison officers to issue immediate warnings that protect vulnerable drug users from potentially fatal substances.

The groundbreaking devices are already being deployed across UK police forces and prisons, where staff use them to rapidly identify dangerous drugs and alert communities about life-threatening substances circulating locally.

Unlike conventional laboratory testing that can take days or weeks, the team's innovation provides instant results, allowing officers to issue real-time warnings when they discover particularly dangerous drugs that could kill users.

The technology has proven especially critical in detecting synthetic drugs concealed in e-cigarettes, an emerging threat that puts young people at particular risk as criminals exploit new methods to distribute dangerous substances in schools and communities.

In honour of the team’s work, the Royal Society of Chemistry has selected the group to receive the Analytical Science Horizon Prize, also known as the George Stokes Prize.

Nick Burnett, drug expert with Devon & Cornwall Police, explained how the project works on the streets: “It allows us to triage substances seized, especially where a user has had an adverse reaction from taking an illicit drug, and identify potential risks.

“This then provides live information to us and we can liaise with our local drug treatment agencies and provide live data and issue a drug warning, keeping the user cohort safe.”

The devices can test for the presence of synthetic opioids which may be found in pills or powder form and are a danger to adult drug users, and also for the presence of synthetic cannabinoids which can be found in vape liquids and are commonly referred to as “Spice”. Consumption of this illegal synthetic drug through vaping can lead to palpitations, heart failure, seizures and death, and is a particular risk to young people who think they have purchased a cheap THC vape liquid (also illegal in this country) when in fact it contains Spice which is much more potent and unpredictable in its harmful effects.

Video: DC Burnett uses an early prototype of the device to test for Spice in a vape liquid that was sold as containing THC...

Chris Pudney, lead investigator on the project, added: “If we can use these kinds of rapid technologies to triage what we are worried about in the community, we can then have an essentially real-time intelligence picture that can support harm reduction messaging.

“As the landscape of drug use changes so rapidly, it feels like the need is to move to more immediate intelligence gathering.”

Chief Superintendent Sheon Sturland of Devon & Cornwall Police said: “I’m extremely proud and impressed with the work that Nick Burnett and our Drugs team have done with Professor Pudney and Team Harm Reduction. The recognition represented by this prestigious prize is well deserved all-round.

“Devon & Cornwall Police is at the forefront of using this technology to give timely warnings of dangerous synthetic drug contaminates in circulation, and alongside our work to stop the flow of drugs into our region it is invaluable in safeguarding vulnerable people. We have also been able to use Professor Pudney’s testing devices, kindly loaned to us, to start to ascertain the scale of the issue represented by synthetic cannabinoids, or Spice, in vapes.”

The multi-institutional team, spanning the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester Metropolitan University alongside Devon & Cornwall Police and international partners, has created what amounts to an early warning system for dangerous drugs.

Their work addresses a frightening reality: synthetic drugs that can kill with tiny doses are flooding communities, but traditional testing takes too long to provide the rapid intelligence needed to protect people.

Dr Jenny Scott, who explores real-world implementation, said: "The illicit drug market is completely unregulated which means there's no quality control or safe processes in manufacturing. This means people who use drugs face all sorts of threats from toxic substances and variability in dose in the drug supply. Point-of-care testing of drug substances is important to give temporal information that can inform decision making in the moment, whether that decision is being made by healthcare staff, prison staff or people who use drugs themselves."

The technology has revealed alarming trends, including the widespread use of e-cigarettes to deliver synthetic drugs in schools, enabling rapid responses to protect young people from substances they may not realise are dangerous.

Prison staff have found the technology particularly valuable for protecting inmates from dangerous substances that could prove fatal in confined environments where medical help may be delayed.

Dr Jenny Scott said: "The drug market is changing very rapidly and instant information to inform decision that need to be made quickly, or at least cannot wait for laboratory information, is only going to become even more important.”

The devices have fundamentally changed how police approach drug-related incidents, enabling them to focus on harm reduction and community protection rather than just enforcement. Schools have also benefited from the technology as educators grapple with the rise of vapes and e-cigarettes – some of which can contain illegal substances.

Matthew Gardner, a PhD student working on synthetic drug detection, described a breakthrough moment: "For me, one of the best outcomes was the work with schools, where we used our technology to show the issue of drugs in e-cigarettes and then we were immediately able to provide that same technology to local police forces and councils to provide them with the means to track an emerging threat.”

The technology represents a new approach to drug policy, providing the real-time intelligence needed to protect communities from substances that are constantly changing and becoming more dangerous.

The team are keen to keep the library up to date to combat the threats posed by the ever-changing drug market, conduct more work in prisons, and investigate drug-tainted e-cigarettes over the coming years.

Advances in this technology come as synthetic drugs are increasingly being disguised in everyday items, from e-cigarettes to seemingly harmless powders. This makes it impossible for users to know what they're taking and putting entire communities at risk without this technology.

Looking ahead, the team plans to expand detection capabilities as the drug market continues to evolve, essentially staying one step ahead of dangerous substances to protect public health.

Dr Rachael Anderson, Post-doctoral Research Associate, said: “We are supporting schools to deal with the risk of drugs being consumed via e-cigarettes in schools. This is already a huge issue and we can expect it to only grow.”

She added: “We see our work out in the real world making a difference to how people work with vulnerable groups but we hope also making a positive impact on people’s lives.”

The technology is already demonstrating impact through direct-to-client drug checking services, where people can test substances before using them, and through rapid community warnings when particularly dangerous drugs are identified.

Nick Burnett said: “From a law enforcement side, having this technology has allowed us to work collaboratively with our drug treatment service and drug users to test drugs. It has allowed us to build bridges so that we are not thinking just about prosecution, but also keeping the user demographic safe and preventing avoidable drug-related deaths.”

Dr Jenny Scott added: “Point-of-care testing of drug substances is important to give temporal information that can inform decision making in the moment, whether that decision is being made by healthcare staff, prison staff or people who use drugs themselves.”

The Horizon Prizes celebrate exceptional teams making discoveries and innovations that advance the chemical sciences. This year, more than 60 individuals and teams from across the chemical sciences have been chosen to receive prizes covering all manner of scientific discoveries and innovations over the past 12 months.

Previous RSC Prizes winners include everyone from Nobel Prize-winning scientists to educators, technicians and everyone in between, with the Royal Society of Chemistry keen to focus on the achievements of all innovators in the chemical sciences.

Dr Helen Pain, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “The chemical sciences cover a rich and diverse collection of disciplines, from fundamental understanding of materials and the living world, to applications in medicine, sustainability, technology and more. By working together across borders and disciplines, chemists are finding solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“Our prize winners come from a vast array of backgrounds, all contributing in different ways to our knowledge base, and bringing fresh ideas and innovations. We recognise chemical scientists from every career stage and every role type, including those who contribute to the RSC’s work as volunteers. We celebrate winners from both industry and academia, as well as individuals, teams, and the science itself.

“Their passion, dedication and brilliance are an inspiration. I extend my warmest congratulations to them all.”

For more information about the RSC’s prizes portfolio, visit rsc.li/prizes.

Pictured:
DC Nick Burnett at Exeter Police Station with one of the early vape testing device prototypes.

The latest versions of the testing devices - hand held and desk top.

Vapes.

Professor Christopher Pudney (centre) and some of Team Harm Reduction.

ENDS