The most serious development in decades | Michael Kennedy and Ian Vandersluys

Spice, a name for a group of synthetic drugs that have gripped prisons over the past decade, are said by researchers at Middlesex University's Drug and Alcohol Research Centre to have played a role in almost half of all non-natural deaths in prisons over a five year period.Michael Kennedy had already used spice on one occasion before he went to prison. For him it was a way of self-medicating for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But in prison he was fully in its grip. During a music technology class in HMP Stoke Heath he wrote a song imploring people to avoid spice. He's now clean, and is a volunteer for the Forward Trust, who support people to break the cycles of addiction and crime.You can listen to Michael's track Mamba Attack here.Ian Vandersluys is Head of Safety at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, having worked for almost three decades in prisons. He describes some of the shocking scenes that have accompanied the rise of synthetic drugs, the impact it has on staff and prisoners, and some of the ways prisons tackle the epidemic.Presenters:Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio AssociationPaula Harriott – Chief Executive, UnlockProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Faye DunnThe Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.