Testing It Up

The state of New York has banned synthetic marijuana, in the wake of an exposé that revealed that young New Yorkers are being sent to the emergency room by these designer drugs. An order from the state Health Department was released on Thursday, March29.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo gave the following statement: “We are banning the sale of synthetic marijuana because, no matter what you call it, it’s clear that this is an illegal drug which is putting the health of New Yorkers, especially young adults, at risk.”

“By acting now we can put parents’ minds at ease by preventing the spread of synthetic marijuana in our communities and our schools. We need to stop this problem before it starts and get this drug off the shelves of every store in our state to protect our children’s health and safety,” he added.

Synthetic marijuana is already banned in three dozen other states, but is still widely available at corner stores and gas stations in New York.

The substance has been associated with severe medical and psychiatric reactions, as well as kidney failure, paranoia, hallucination, high blood pressure, and heart rate.

Jim Burns, special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration in New York, said: “This is an important step in the right direction, because currently these dangerous substances are only temporarily banned at the federal level… To have this banned at the state level enables both state and federal authorities to take action now to make sure these substances are removed and aren’t sold to the public.”

Despite the fact that the state of Missouri has placed a ban on synthetic marijuana products, teens apparently still have access to them, as they continue to be sold at certain independently-owned gas stations and convenience stores.

Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicated that nearly one in nine high school seniors have gotten high on the herb-based product, which mimics the effect of pot.

Synthetic marijuana is made from a mix of dead plants, flowers, and chemicals. These may be smoked in a pipe, mixed with marijuana, or snorted. While users experience the same effects as that which can be derived from using pot, they are also more likely to experience other symptoms as well, including rapid heartbeat.

Authorities in Kansas City’s Northland area were able to seize large amounts of suspected synthetic drugs. These products carry such brand names as Mr. Happy and Purple Diesel, and are sold as “plant food,” potpourri, and bath salts.

Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd shared: “We are targeting merchants who sell synthetic drugs for one simple reason: Synthetic drugs are extremely dangerous. Their effect on the human body is very unpredictable… A few years ago, it was legal to sell these designer drugs. That is no longer true.”

Zahnd shared further that three young people were hospitalized due to kidney failure, while a dozen were sickened in Casper, Wyoming, early this month. All the cases, he said, could be traced back to a batch of a certain designer drug.

Packets of synthetic marijuana are normally being sold for $20. The merchants are able to acquire these from dealers for $4, while dealers can manufacture them for less than $1.