According to a private sector laboratory, UK government cost-cutting measures are resulting in dangerous drugs going undetected which risks child safety in family law cases. This charge comes from Attolife , a UK-based toxicology laboratory specialising in drug testing for family law cases. The laboratory has published a critical analysis showing that the UK’s legal and social service systems are facing an escalating crisis in child and family welfare.
The result is a system that often orders only standard drug tests—usually for cannabis—instead of more comprehensive tests that can detect synthetic drugs like Spice. Unlike cannabis, Spice and similar synthetic drugs are powerful, unpredictable, and often more dangerous, causing effects like psychosis, seizures, and violent behaviour. At the root of the problem is the disparity in cost: while testing for cannabis is relatively inexpensive, Spice testing is significantly more costly due to the complexity and number of variants.
This cost-cutting strategy, while seemingly economical in the short term, hides higher long-term costs and tragic social consequences, according to the report. This is particularly concerning for vulnerable children and families. As to how this financial concern has arisen, the report pinpoints budget constraints in local authorities, social services, and cuts to Legal Aid.
These have led to an apparent prioritisation of cost over quality in drug testing. Dr. Salah Breidi, Lead Toxicologist at Atto.