Pubdate: Mon, 06 Feb 2012
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2012 The Billings Gazette
Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515

SPICE BAN: FAKE MARIJUANA CREATES REAL PROBLEMS

While Montanans have been fiercely debating medical marijuana, another
kind of marijuana has become a national trend.

Nearly one in nine U.S. high school seniors has used "synthetic
marijuana," according to a 2011 survey conducted by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse. It was the first time the annual survey asked
about synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice. Until recently,
these chemical concoctions designed to mimic the effects of marijuana
were available in some Montana convenience stores. The NIDA survey
found that 11.4 percent of students surveyed reported using Spice
within the past year.

Last year, poison hotlines across the country logged more than 6,300
calls about synthetic marijuana, according to the American Poison
Control Centers.

As recently reported by The Billings Gazette, Spice is in Billings.
One Billings teen described frightening hallucinations that scared him
from smoking Spice a second time. Another teen told a Gazette reporter
that he smoked Spice on his school lunch break and wound up at the
hospital after he became unable to stand or breathe.

Synthetic marijuana is often sold as "incense" but may resemble
potpourri or pop rocks. It's often a mix of herbs and various
chemicals that vary by product and batch.

Synthetic marijuana is a statewide concern. In rare unanimous votes
last year, the House and Senate approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Tom
Berry, R-Roundup, to add synthetic marijuana to the list of illegal
drugs that includes opiates and real marijuana. Now Spice is illegal
under Montana law.

It's also illegal nationwide under a temporary emergency rule from the
Drug Enforcement Administration.

The American Medical Association is among the health organizations
supporting the Synthetic Drug Control Act in Congress, saying that
there is no medical use for Spice. The U.S. House passed the
legislation in December, but it stalled in the Senate last month when
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., put a hold on it. This legislation would add
synthetic marijuana and 30 other synthetic drugs to the list of the
most tightly controlled drugs.

According to information from Rimrock Foundation, common symptoms of
Spice include:

Hallucinations

Severe agitation

Panic attacks

Pale skin

Dangerously elevated blood pressure

Increased respiration rate

Numbness and tingling

Vomiting

The drug has high potential for addiction.

Some people have used Spice because it's not detected by the
traditional drug tests. However, the rapid increase in the drug's
popularity is driving labs to develop better and cheaper tests that
pick up Spice. Furthermore, Rimrock Foundation reports that synthetic
marijuana actually remains in the body for more than three days,
making it detectable for longer periods of time.

"Parents need to set an example and talk to their kids about it," said
Rimrock Foundation counselor Tammy Perkins, who works with students in
Billings public high schools. "Parents need to speak up."

We join Perkins in calling for parents to discuss synthetic marijuana
with their children and teens. Tell your kids why you don't want them
smoking synthetic marijuana - or any other kind of marijuana.
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