1. Synthetic Drugs and other Current Trends in Substance Abuse
Joy Ford, CPS
LifeSkills Regional Prevention Center
Bowling Green, Ky

2. Synthetic Drugs Synthetic Marijuana,K2, Spice, Bath Salts
First detected in US in November 2008 by DEA
First encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection
July, 2012 Federal government passed a law that made the sale of some synthetics illegal
Poison Control Centers received:
2,906 Calls in 2010
6, 959 Calls in 2011
639 Calls in January, ( 12 x 639 = 7668)

3. Synthetic Drugs Synthetic Marijuana,K2, Spice, Bath Salts
Dangerous
Not “Safe” as a second choice or alternative to more well-known drugs
Labeled as “Natural”
Synthetic Marijuana contain materials laced with synthetic cannabinoids that mimic THC
Bath Salts contain manmade materials related to amphetamines (synthetic cathinones)

4. Synthetic Marijuana “K2” and “Spice” are street names
Mixture of herbs and plant products sprayed with psychotropic drugs and other toxic substances to mimic the effects of THC
Act on same parts of the brain and body as THC, but the effects can be very different.
Sold as Incense labeled “NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION”
Marketed as a “SAFE” and “ LEGAL” alternative to marijuana

5. Synthetic marijuana
Red X Dawn
Genie
Yucatan Fire
Blaze

6. NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
*Mask intended purpose * Avoid FDA regulatory oversight of the manufacturing process

7. Synthetic Marijuana
Depending on synthetic compound in specific commercial brand, can be anywhere from 4 times to over 100 times more potent and more dangerous than regular marijuana (THC)
Were being sold in tobacco shops, head shops, and convenience stores
Price averages $45 for 3 grams (about equal to 3 sugar packets)-higher than good grade marijuana
Can be snorted, smoked or injected. Most often smoked but can be mixed with food or drink

8. Herbal Incense

9. Packaged as Incense: Implying Safety

10. Why Popularity of Synthetics
Easy Access – Convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations, internet, etc
Sold as “Novelty” item - sold legally with disclaimer that they’re “Not for Human Consumption”
Misperception “natural” therefore harmless
Not easily detected in standard drug tests
Profile of Users: yr olds; prisoners/probationers
Sold in convenience stores, smoke shops, gas stations and online, these
"bath salts" contain a disclaimer that they're not for human consumption
and are sold only as a "novelty” and therefore can be purchased legally.
Abusers are smoking, snorting, and even injecting these “bath salts” for
their effects. There has been no formal research into the effects of these

13. SIGNS OF USE Strong Clove Smell
Coffee grinder – finer the powder, easier to smoke
Drug paraphernalia (pipes, screens, etc)
Typically smoked

14. Physical Signs of Use Loss of Control Lack of Pain response
Increased agitation
Pale skin
Seizures and/or Vomiting
Profuse Sweating
Uncontrolled/spastic body movements
Elevated Blood Pressure, heart rate, and palpitations

15. Intoxication

16. Effects of Synthetic Marijuana
Onset Minutes
Length of Duration – 1-8 hours
Short-term effects: In addition to physical signs of use, users may experience:
Dysphoria – the opposite of euphoria
Paranoia – similar to PCP/Angel Dust
Delusions, Hallucinations and increased agitation
Monsters, Demons, “Gone to Hell and Back”
Long –term effects ?????

17. FDA Safety and Innovation Act
SEC.1152 Addition of Synthetic Drugs to Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act.
Senate passed on May 24, 2012; Bill was signed into law on July 9, 2012
Schedule 1 Drug – no medical purposes; can produce a high
Anything that binds to cannabinoid receptors (CB1 receptor)

18. Bath salts
No legitimate use for bath water—marketed “for novelty use only”
305 Identified bath salts
5 of the 305 are identified and considered a controlled substance
Products contain various amphetamine-like chemicals
Mimics cocaine, LSD and methamphetamine – present a high abuse and addiction liability
Snort, inject and ingest

19. Bath Salts
Emerging family of drugs containing one or more synthetic chemicals related to cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant found naturally in the KHAT Plant
Marketed as “Bath Salts” to evade detection by authorities
No standard formulation – composition of chemicals can be different from one package to another
Not all “Bath Salts” are marketed as Bath Salts

20. Marketed as “Magic Plant Food”
Plant Feeder or
Stain Remover
Natural Insect Repellent

21. Bath Salts * The drug called “Bath Salts” is very different from the product that you put into a bath. *Only reason why they have the same name is the products look similar like a fine powder.

22. How can you tell?
Not for Human Consumption
“Not Illegal”

23. Only for 18+ Adults

24. Why do Teens Use “Bath Salts”
For energy/alternative to illegal stimulants
Perceived to be Legal
Not picked up on standard drug tests – will not test positive at work or at school
Availability
Considered to be “Safer” than Meth
Word of Mouth – Curiosity/Peer Pressure

25. Symptoms of “Bath Salts”
Can’t sleep
Bizarre behavior
Rapid heart rate
Difficulty breathing
Much longer duration than synthetic marijuana
Being new trend, not all short-term nor any long-term effects are known

26. Effects of “Bath Salts”
Severe Paranoia that sometimes causes users to harm themselves or others
Suicidal thoughts
Agitation
Combative/Violent Behavior
Confusion
Hallucinations
Increased Heart Rate/ Hypertension
Speed of onset – 15 minutes
Length of High – 4-6 hours

27. Efforts to control Synthetics
Most of the synthetic products originate overseas
Manufactured in the absence of quality controls and devoid of governmental regulatory oversight
Many of the “illegal” chemicals can be easily synthesized and it is easy to stay one step ahead of the current regulations and regulatory scheme

28. Prescription Drug Abuse
Prescription or Over the Counter medications are becoming the new gateway drug for many teens
Prescription drug abuse remains a significant problem in the United States.

29. How are Prescription Drugs Abused?

30. Prescription Drug Abuse
Increasing numbers of teens using to get high
Many adults don’t know about problem
Teens perceive RX drugs to be “safer” than street drugs
Legal
Prescribed “Safer” based on prescribed by a physician and dispensed by pharmacist
Don’t get from “drug dealers”
Information regarding rx drugs and effects are widely available
They are obtained from doctors, pharmacies, friends or family members

31. Additional
Because prescribed by doctors they are “Safe” under any circumstances.
Varied motivations for abuse:
To sleep
Relieve stress
To get high
Increasing environmental availability
RX for stimulants increased from 5 million to 45 million
RX for Opioid analgesics increased from 75.5 million to millions

32. Prescription Drug Abuse Statistics
Nations fastest growing drug problem.
Low Perception of Risk considered
‘Safer” based on prescribed by a physician and dispensed by pharmacist
Most teens report getting RX drugs from home, family or friends
Teens reporting use of Vicodin, Adderall, Tranquilizers, Cough Medicine Oxycontin and Ritalin

34. Ways Rx Drugs can be used illegally or unsafely in the workplace
Taking prescribed amount in excess
Taking in combination with other substances contrary to the directions of the prescribing physician
Doing things that are prohibited to do such as driving or operating dangerous machinery

35. Work related indicators of prescription drugs abuse
Behavioral and coordination issues
Behavioral indicators can be strong indicators of a drug abuse problem.
The most common signs are:
Surprisingly foolish, stupid behavior and incidents
Thefts in the workplace
Withdrawn, hostile, or uncommunicative behavior where these are unusual traits.
Deteriorating, unhealthy personal appearance
Odd smells
Secretive behavior

36. Common issues related to drug abuse include:
Productivity signs
Work performance is a very reliable indicator of problems.
Common issues related to drug abuse include:
High rate of uncharacteristic errors
Very inconsistent work performance with marked deteriorations in quality of work
Lack of productivity resulting in backlogs and bad management of workloads
Frequent complaints from other staff regarding performance of tasks and standards of work

37. Aggression, mood swings, emotional overreactions
The nature of many drugs often results in behavioral changes which are reliable indicators of abuse
Some of the psychological effects of prescription drug abuse are shocking and appalling.
Typical psychological effects include:
Aggression: An irrational, antagonistic mentality with no
obvious cause.
Mood swings: These can be a bewildering range of moods from tearful to high spirited to distinctly unfriendly, in a matter of minutes
Emotional overreactions: Disproportionate reactions to situations, positive or negative, sometimes embarrassing .

38. Areas of Concern
Marijuana – 5 year trends show significant increases among 10th and 12th graders
Prescription and Over the Counter Medications account for most of the top illicit drugs abused by 12th graders in the past year
11.4 % of high school seniors reported using “Spice” in the past year

39. Is Marijuana Medicine?
10 states have legalized marijuana to treat conditions including pain and nausea associated with HIV/AIDS, Cancer and other conditions
Not enough scientific evidence for FDA approval
Not enough clinical trials to show benefits outweigh health risks
To be considered a legimate medicine, a substance must have well-defined and measureable ingredients that are consistent from one unit to another. Dose/frequency
Why smoke a “drug” that causes additional problems and damage

40. Safety Issues with in the workplace look at the chart

42. Designer Alcopops Energy Drinks Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic

43. Non-Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Active Ingredients: Caffeine, Taurine, Ginseng, Guarana, B-Vitamins
Non-Alcoholic drinks list nutritional facts: on the can or bottle
One 2.5-ounce energy drink on the market right now has the same amount of caffeine as a 12-pack of cola.

44. Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Most contain premium malt beverage with natural and artificial flavors, caffeine, taurine, ginseng and guarana.
One 23.5 oz. can of 12% alcohol has as much alcohol as 4.7 beers.
One 16 oz. can of 6.6% alcohol has as much alcohol as 1.8 beers.
Sparks Plus-contains 87 mg caffeine oz alcohol per 16 oz. can
Jack and coke- 13 mg caffeine- 0.6 oz. alcohol in a regular glass
Irish coffee mg caffeine- 0.6 oz. alcohol