The use of synthetic marijuana is on the rise again, and there are instances of teenagers dying from heart failure after using the synthetic substances. This substance is made, not grown.
“I’ve read some articles, and [police officers] read about it,” school security officer Dennis Randall said. “We see circum- stances of kids doing it because they don’t know. It’s not natural stuff to get the high, it’s chemicals. And some chemicals are very dangerous.”
The possession and sale of synthetic pot is illegal in Kansas. However, just like marijuana, teens are still getting their hands on the potentially harmful drug.
Although it is illegal here, in other states, according to medicalnewstoday.com, these drugs are sold as legal alterna-
tives to weed.
The problem may lie in the unknown effects of the drug. According to the “New York Times,” a teenage girl suffered
a series of strokes leaving her brain paralyzed after smoking synthetic weed she purchased at a gas station.
Randall said while both weed and synthetic pot, referred to as potpourri, are dangerous, synthetic pot is much more dangerous in regards to health.
According to drugabuse.com, labels on these drugs claim to contain “natural” psychoactive material from plants. While they do contain plant material, that material is soaked in chemicals which induces a high.
Randall said although the drug is illegal, he is sure students still manage to smoke it and are drawn to it for the high. In fact, one in nine high school seniors has admitted to smoking fake weed, according to CNN.
“It’s not much different from smoking [marijuana],” Randall said. “It’s a similar high, but it’s quicker.”