Renata Fraga Cardoso
Professor: Hannah Griggs
Writing
Practice
April 7th,
2014
There
are some chemicals that resemble illegal drugs but are allowed to be on the
market. Amateur drug makers are developing
ways to minimally modify the chemical structure of illegal compounds to sell
them as a legal products. These synthetic drugs are not detectable in standard
drug tests because the compound does not have the same chemical structure as illegal
drugs. These products are sold in attractive packaging as innocent-sounding
products, such as, bath salts, incenses, plant food or jewelry cleaner. According
to Cleveland Clinic Journal Medicine, "These substances are not what they appear to be. They
are sold as bath salts and incense and are labeled “not for human consumption”
simply to avoid regulation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)".
This practice is increasing each day and is hindering the war against
drugs.
One of the most popular product is
called "Spice". It includes many herbal mixtures that mimic the
ingredients and effects of marijuana (cannabis). Cannabis has an active
ingredient known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) while the active ingredient of
spice is known as synthetic cannabinoids.
In other words, it is an alternative found to sell cannabis freely in the
market. In addition, it is also called K2, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks and
others. Synthetic marijuana is used in a similar way to cannabis. It can be
smoked, ingested, and baked into foods, such as brownies and tea. This product
is sold as incense in many smoke shops, gas stations, tobacco products and
through the internet and they are selling for 20 to 30 dollars per package. In addition, it is consumed generally by
teenagers and young people that are 12 to 19 years old.
Another popular product
is called "bath salts". Bath salts are a synthetic cathinones, an amphetamine-like stimulant and they
are marketed as legal alternatives to cocaine, LSD and ecstasy. The most
important active ingredient of the illegal drug is
3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). It is found in cocaine and other
anphetamines. The active ingredient contained
in this synthetic drug is very to these illegal drugs. This kind of synthetic
drug is marketed as keyboard cleaner, plant food, and jewelry cleaner. In
general, they are sold online and they are called Ivory Wave, Bloom, Cloud Nine,
Lunar Wave, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning, and Scarface.
These products are not
just drugs, they are considered poison. Even though they are labeled as not for
human consumption, they are used for this goal. According to the Office Of
National Drug Control Center, "The effects of
synthetic cannabinoids include severe agitation and anxiety, nausea, vomiting,
tachycardia (fast, racing heartbeat), elevated blood pressure, tremors and
seizures, hallucinations, dilated pupils, and suicidal and other harmful
thoughts and/or actions. Similar to the adverse effects of cocaine, LSD, and
methamphetamine, synthetic cathinone use is associated with increased heart
rate and blood pressure, chest pain, extreme paranoia, hallucinations,
delusions, and violent behavior, which causes users to harm themselves or
others". Even though these products are similar to illegal drugs, they are
more dangerous. Some of them presents 800 times more of active ingredients
contained in their formula and it increases the risk of death.
In addition, these
products are a challenge to the police and researchers to combat. One of the
challenges is to find what its the origin is. Another challenge is to identify
new compounds because at the same time that the police are banning some
products, other products with different formula are appearing. However, the first step for them is to
discover where it is produced. Joseph T. Rannazzisi, Deputy Assistant Administrator Office of
Diversion Control Drug Enforcement Administration United States Department of
Justice, says that the synthetic substances are suspected to be manufactured in
bulk quantities in countries such as China, Pakistan, and India, and some of
the actual products may be packaged for wholesale distribution in intermediate
locations such as Eastern Europe. They want to find these places to stop the
production because it is harmful for human health and many people have had
serious side effects when they consumed these synthetic drugs. This problem is
not affecting just the police who are working hard on this problem, it also
affects people's lives. Many adolescents are consuming these drugs thinking it
is not dangerous or harmful.
One way to help the police find more
products to investigate is calling to poison centers, such as, American
Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). Through these centers, it is easier to
identify victims and alert the people about the consumption of these drugs. According
to these centers, they took 303 calls a about bath salts in 2010 and then
this number increased to 5,226 between
January and September in 2011. More than fifty percent of calls involved young
patients, such as under 25 years old. These calls are helping the police to
find the places where it is fabricated and where it is sold. Another way to
help the police is to keep people informed about these products. This action
can prevent and avoid the consumption of these synthetic drugs.
In
conclusion, even though these products are freely sold, they cause several
dangerous side effects. Moreover, these
drugs are also destroying families and damaging lives. However, unfortunately, this practice is increasing each day and it
is hard to identify. As a result, the police and researchers are working
together to identify these compounds quickly because they need to remove these
products from the market.
Works Cited
Collins, Gregory. Jerry, Jason.
Streem, David. "Synthetic legal
intoxicating drugs: The emerging ‘incense’ and ‘bath salt’ phenomenon". Cleveland Clinic Journal Medicine. April 2012. Web. April 2nd. 2014. <http://www.ccjm.org/content/79/4/258.long\>Office Of National Drug Control Center. "Synthetic Drugs (a.k.a. K2, Spice, Bath Salts, etc.)". White House. Web. April 5th.
2014.American Association of Poison Control Centers ."Synthetic Drugs - Dangerous and Deadly". APCC. October 26th , 2011 . Web April 5th, 2014. <http://aapcc.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/synthetic-drugs-%E2%80%93-dangerous-and-deadly/>
Rannazzisi , Joseph T., “The
Dangers Of Synthetic Cannabinoids And Stimulants" Department of the Justice. April 6th, 2011. Web. April
5th, 2014. <http://www.justice.gov/dea/pr/speeches-testimony/2012-2009/110412_testimony.pdf>
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