Lags test dangerous and now-banned legal highs on helpless inmates with drastic effects
The effects of the legal high are similar to marijuana but can often be much stronger
CRUEL prisoners are using vulnerable inmates as human guinea pigs to test dangerous legal highs.
Prison watchdog the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) found the use of Spice, a synthetic form of marijuana, was on the rise in a Kent prison.
And prisoners are testing the side-effect of psychoactive substances on other inmates.
Spice, which is made up of a mix of herbs and man made chemicals, is known as "fake weed", because some of its chemicals are similar to those in marijuana.
However, the effects are sometimes very different from marijuana, and often much stronger.
Spice has been linked to A&;E visits and even some deaths and was banned alongside all other "legal highs" in May.
But the IMB said it had "great concern" that the use of Spice and other psychoactivie substances has increased at Maidstone Prison, a jail solely for foreigners.
However, Maidstone Prison staff hope new laws could stop the problem.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "As this report recognises, improvements have been made.
"But we must do more to tackle drugs in our prisons.
"That's why we've put a range of robust measures in place, including the use of search dogs and tough new laws which will see those who smuggle packages over prison walls, including new psychoactive substances, face up to two years in prison."
Maidstone is a category C prison which holds 600 inmates.
The IMB also found some issues flagged up by the previous report, were still persisting.
Around 12 to 15 inmates at any one time are remaining in prison after their sentences, because of issues with their deportations.
The report says this includes those who "are violent and likely to re-offend but may not be released into the community as there is no potential for deportation."
Dental care also remained a problem, with 130 inmates still on the waiting list for treatment.
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