Politics & Government
Beaumaster: Beware of the Dangers of Synthetic Drugs
Rice County Attorney Paul Beaumaster write abouts the details of synthetic drugs.
Parents and children need to talk about the dangers of synthetic drugs. Just because a product is sold at a store does not mean it is safe or harmless. The term “synthetic marijuana” fosters a misconception that these substances are comparable to marijuana. Nothing could be farther from the truth. People who tell you otherwise need to explain why those who use synthetic marijuana end up in the emergency room. Because the substances are often referred to as “fake pot,” they are considered less dangerous and are thought to be equivalent to marijuana in their effects. Due to inconsistencies in the way the drugs are manufactured, using synthetic drugs can result in paranoia, hallucinations, brain damage and death. Synthetic drug manufacturers design chemicals to avoid prosecution, while making money from misery and death. Regulation and quality control do not exist in the world of synthetic recreational drug manufacturing. No attempt is made to make these drugs safe or useful. Manufacturers produce chemicals and in some cases spray the chemicals on an organic substance. When the substance is burned and smoke is inhaled into the lungs, these chemicals are delivered into your blood stream. The fact that you burn it and inhale it does not make it marijuana.
Synthetic drugs are marketed under various brand names, such as Spice, K2, Blaze, and Red X Dawn. The major problem in prosecuting those who manufacture or sell synthetic drugs is that slight variations are made in the chemical makeup of the drug as soon as the current formula is added to the controlled substance list. Drug makers vary the molecular structure by a molecule or two in order to avoid selling a controlled substance.
“2C-E”, a drug that killed a Blaine youth and sent many others to the hospital in critical condition, is chemically similar to “2C-B”, which is regulated as a controlled substance and therefore is illegal to buy or sell. 2C-B and related derivatives are considered illegal if intended for consumption, but not all similar incarnations, such as 2C-I and 2C-T-7, are regulated or fall under the ban. Law enforcement has struggled to keep up with the ever-changing chemical compounds concocted by synthetic drug manufactures. In the case of the Blaine death, the seller of the 2C-E has been charged with third degree murder, but the drug has yet to be added to the list of illegal substances.
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A bill currently making its way through the legislature updates the statutory controlled substance schedules so they match controlled substance schedules maintained by the Board of Pharmacy. The bill also grants the Board expedited drug scheduling authority. Most importantly, the bill modifies the definition of synthetic cannabinoids and enhances the penalties for selling such substances.
Modifying the definition of synthetic cannabinoids and adding recently detected synthetic stimulants and hallucinogens to Schedule I will go a long way in stopping the sale of these dangerous drugs. Amendments contained in the bill allow expedited rule-making authority by the Board of Pharmacy, which will increase the flexibility of the schedules for use by prosecutors as new variants of synthetic drugs appear. The Board of Pharmacy will be able to respond to requests by prosecutors or hospitals as new synthetic drugs appear. Adding variant chemical formulas to the controlled substance schedule in a timely manner will help prevent tragic deaths such as the one in Blaine.
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The bill creates a felony penalty for those who sell synthetic drugs, making it clear selling these synthetic drugs is not the same as marijuana. By increasing the penalty for the sale of synthetic drugs to a felony for dealers selling these drugs in tobacco shops, the dealers of death will have to rethink the cost of doing business in the synthetic drug trade. I am confident most legitimate businesses will find the price too high, and will stop selling synthetic drugs even when manufacturers tell them new formulas are legal.
The best way to stop the sale of synthetic drugs is for parents to talk to your children about the dangers of drugs in general, and specifically about synthetic drugs – no one knows what these manufactured chemicals will do, short term or long term, to your body or mind.
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