Pubdate: Fri, 12 Oct 2012
Source: Alaska Highway News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Glacier Interactive Media
Contact:  http://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/716
Author: Katelin Dean

SMELLS LIKE TROUBLE

A Popular New Drug Has Lead One Teen to Be Hospitalized

A teenager has fallen victim to the latest drug fad in Fort St. John.

He was taken to the hospital after smoking incense with his friends, 
and has since been released.

Incense is the street term for a type of artificial 'marijuana' where 
the chemicals are not found in the cannabis plant, but produced in a 
laboratory. However, the teens in this case apparently smoked the 
aromatic incense commonly used in religious ceremonies.

"It is believed that the youth thought they could experience a 'high' 
from using the incense," said Corporal Jodi Shelkie.

Several high school students told the Alaska Highway News that they 
were familiar with the synthetic drug known as incense.

"I think people just buy incense sticks and smoke it out of curiosity 
and they're just being stupid," said a girl in Grade 12.

She suspects the youth who tried smoking incense were confused.

"There are some people who smoke synthetic weed that you can just buy 
at the pot store, and it's similar to incense," she said.

Another student, a boy in Grade 10, said that it's not hard to find 
and that many of his peers have tried it.

"It gets you really stoned," he said.

Another teen said that he's had a bad experience with the substance.

"You can have two trips, it's either good or bad and I had a bad one. 
I was tripping out and walking around town," he said.

"It's like a weed-shrooms mix put together. When I was tripping out, 
I was seeing angels."

He added, "It's not mainly in school; it's mostly around downtown."

Corporal Jodi Shelkie said it was a small group who tried smoking 
incense on Sunday afternoon. It was reported at 2 p.m.

"One of the youth became very ill and went to the hospital, but was 
released the same evening," she continued.

"The other youth didn't use as much incense and were not as ill."

The incense was reportedly marked 'Not for human consumption,' 
according to the RCMP.

"These substances are not what they appear to be," according to Dr. 
Jason Jerry, from the department of psychiatry and psychology at the 
Cleveland Clinic.

"They are sold as... incense and are labeled 'Not for human 
consumption' simply to avoid regulation."

He noted in his article on the subject, The emerging 'incense' and 
'bath salt' phenomenon published by the Cleveland Clinic Journal of 
Medicine, that they were relatively easy to access at head shops, 
drug stores and were relatively cheap.

"Amid the mysteries surrounding synthetic cannabinoids, one thing is 
clear: users are increasingly seeking medical attention." He noted 
that serious side effects include hallucinations, psychosis and seizures.

Shelkie said it's not uncommon for young people to find ways to find 
a variety of drugs.

"You hear rumours from friends and on the internet and want to 
experience a high," said the corporal.

"There's been different things that kids have tried - kids have tried 
huffing spray paint or gasoline; this is just one of those numerous 
rumours that go around saying that this is a way to experience a high 
without using a real drug, but you'd feel the same type of high."

Shelkie said an incident like this is a good opportunity for parents 
to teach their children.

"When things like this are in the news, it's a great opportunity for 
parents to say, 'We've talked to you about the use of drugs before, 
now it's important that you learn from this as well that there are 
other things that are just as dangerous,' " said Shelkie.

"While this youth who was trying the incense just got physically 
sick, this can have long-term permanent effects, like brain damage."

She said it's important for parents talk to their children and 
educate them about all kinds of drugs.

"It is important for parents and youth to remember that all types of 
illegal drugs are very dangerous and that the consequences of 
experimenting with new or 'synthetic' drug substitutes can be as 
dangerous, or in some cases, even more so," she said.

"It's kind of like the blind leading the blind when you've got one 
teenager telling another teenager that this is the way to get high."
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