Seven disposable vapes sold as cannabis products in the UK all contained the synthetic cannabinoid 5F-MDMB-PICA instead, with no actual cannabis compounds detected.
Cannabis consumers using vape products; harm-reduction advocates; drug checking service operators
7/7 "cannabis" vapes contained only synthetic cannabinoid 5F-MDMB-PICA
What the researchers found
All seven samples contained 5F-MDMB-PICA at a median concentration of 0.85 mg/mL (range 0.59-1.63 mg/mL). No THC, CBD, or other natural cannabinoids were found.
Why it matters
People buying what they believe to be cannabis vapes may unknowingly be using potent synthetic cannabinoids.
The numbers in context
Median 5F-MDMB-PICA concentration: 0.85 mg/mL. Range: 0.59 to 1.63 mg/mL. 7/7 positive for synthetic cannabinoids. 0/7 contained natural cannabinoids.
How the study worked
Seven illicitly sourced disposable vapes submitted by one individual to a UK drug and alcohol service were analyzed using NMR and GC/MS.
What this study cannot tell us
Only seven samples from a single individual at one service.
How to read the evidence
Case report analyzing seven samples from one individual.
When this study was published
2025 study analyzing recently purchased products
The bigger picture
This case adds to mounting evidence that illicit vaping products marketed as cannabis frequently contain synthetic cannabinoids instead.
Questions still open
- What percentage of illicit "cannabis" vapes in the UK actually contain synthetic cannabinoids?
Common questions
What is 5F-MDMB-PICA?
How can someone tell if a vape contains synthetic cannabinoids?
Read the original research
Detection and quantification of synthetic cannabinoids in seven illicitly sourced disposable vapes submitted by an individual presenting to a UK drug and alcohol service.
Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(3), 549-554
Citation
Craft, Sam; Sunderland, Peter; Millea, Molly F; Pudney, Christopher R; Sutcliffe, Oliver B; Freeman, Tom P. (2025). Detection and quantification of synthetic cannabinoids in seven illicitly sourced disposable vapes submitted by an individual presenting to a UK drug and alcohol service.. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(3), 549-554. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16671
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