Do you know what spice is? I was recently lecturing at a senior center regarding alcohol and drug abuse. As you might be aware, there is an alarming increase in alcohol and drug abuse among our nation’s senior citizens.
Seniors are an interesting group to speak to. In my most recent lecture at an assisted-living facility, my audience had nowhere better to go so I had a captive audience. One thing that seems to universally surprise seniors is the myriad of new drugs on the market.
In my lecture yesterday only one senior had ever heard of “Spice” and she had read something about in “Time or Newsweek, or maybe Cosmo.”
What is spice?
Spice is made up of exotic plants from Asia like Blue Lotus and Bay Bean. Their leaves are coated with chemicals that mimic the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, but are five to 200 times more potent.
More than 40 states have banned some of its chemicals, prompting sellers to turn to the Internet, where it is marketed as incense or potpourri. In some states, Spice is sold at bars, smoke shops and convenience stores.
Sellers based in the United States and Europe advertising the incense on the Internet did not respond to emails or calls seeking comment.
The packets often say the ingredients are not for human consumption and are for aromatherapy. They are described as "mood enhancing" and "long lasting." Some of the sellers' Web sites say they do not sell herbal mixes containing any illegal chemicals and say they are offering a "legal high."
Alarming Study
In a study of ten different cases of drug use - some smoked spice and also had smoked marijuana or drank alcohol, while others only smoked Spice.
Of the 10, nine had lost a sense of reality. Seven babbled incoherently. The symptoms for seven of them lasted four to eight days. Three others are believed to now be schizophrenic. The drug may have triggered the symptoms in people with that genetic disposition.
Scary drug in a scary world. Most of the seniors agree that drugs especially are more popular and pervasive than they were two generations ago. They also agree that we need more drug classes.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/30/synthetic-marijuana-use-us-troops_n_1176879.html