Information Alert on Stackers, DMX: Coricidin &
Robitussin Abuse and Ephedrine.
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STACKERSare
legal; over the counter dietary supplements used
to assist in weight loss and muscle enhancement.
These supplements can be extremely dangerous to
your teenager's health.
They are available at local drug and vitamin
stores and gas stations. Ephedrine, the main
ingredient, is a natural herb and therefore not
currently regulated by the FDA. The FDA is now
considering regulation, as a result of many
young, health-conscious people suffering from
strokes, heart conditions, and other serious
illnesses related to stacker use. It has also
been linked to anxiety, sleeplessness,
migraines, high blood pressure, and seizures and
in some instances ephedra has been linked with
death.
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DMX:
CORICIDIN & ROBITUSSIN ABUSE -Teens are
abusing over-the-counter cold pills to get high
The latest
craze among teens is using over-the-counter cold
medicines and cough syrup in excessive doses as
recreational drugs b deliberately ingesting
large amounts of Coricidin
HBP-Cough &
Cold Pills or Robitussin b as many as 15
tablets at once. The ingredient is DXM or
dextromethorphan: a legal cough medicine
ingredient which is uncontrolled by the
government and is available in over 125
different products. These medicines can be
purchased off the drugstore or supermarket
counter. When used correctly, DXM suppresses
coughs safely, but in large amounts it produces
a chemical imbalance in the brain that allows
the kids to get high.
The DEA says
abusers report an LSD-like high: a heightened
sense of perceptual awareness, altered time
perception and visual hallucinations. The
effects are respiratory distress, involuntary
rapid eye movement, increased pupil size,
unsteady gait, hallucinations, confusion,
slurred speech, nausea and vomiting. Teens use
terms such as dexing, robotripping, red devils,
triple-C's or skittles (the red pills, resemble
candy & bear three C's). There have been many
reported cases of overdoses and at least 5
deaths nationwide. Lookout for excessive
packages of cold medicine lying around.
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EPHEDRINE The FDA has banned the sale of
any supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra)
throughout the US effective immediately.
Ephedra, also
called ma haung, is a naturally occurring
substance derived from plants. Its principal
active ingredient ephedrine acts as a stimulant
and mimics the effects of an amphetamine
(speed). It is extremely dangerous and has been
linked to adverse health effects, including
heart attack and stroke.
In recent
years ephedra products have been promoted to aid
weight loss, enhance sports performance and
increase energy.
For further
information:
Web site
http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/ephedra/february2004/
Student Youth Alliances
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The Satz Youth Alliance for grades 7-8 and the
Holmdel High School Youth Alliance for grades
9-12 participate in activities that demonstrate
one can have fun without drugs and alcohol. Club
members participate in fund-raisers, Red Ribbon
week, and an annual food drive and community
service projects that promote the Alliance's
no-use message. Past trips included the NJ
Devils, Lakewood Blueclaws and NJ Nets. To join
a Youth Alliance at Satz School contact Mr.
James Bruce, Guidance Counselor and at Holmdel
High School contact Kathy Moran-Kudisch, Student
Assistance Counselor, 946-1825.
 
K2 or “Spice”
What is K2?
K2
is a legal substance marketed since 2006 as a dried
herbal blend for use as incense, marked ‘not for
human consumption.’ However, people are smoking the
incense because it produces a high similar to
marijuana, but of longer duration. The incense is
sprayed with JWH-018 before it is packaged for sale.
This spray isreportedly an "analgesic chemical
which acts as a cannabinoid." Other reports of the
spray being a potent psychotropic drug, often
contaminated with unidentifiedtoxic substances
which contribute to various adverse health effects
(also causehallucinogenic effects.)
Depending on synthetic compound in specific
commercial brand, can be anywhere from 4 times to
over 100 times more potent than regular marijuana
(THC.) Most often it is smoked but can be mixed in
with food or drink.
What are other names for this substance?
Spice, Pep Spice, Spice Sliver, Spice gold, Spice
Diamond, Smoke, Sence, Skunk, Yucatan Fire, Orange
Dragon Smoke, Black Mamba, Genie, Blaze, Red X Dawn,
and Zohai. Sold in a variety of
colors/flavors, usually in foil packaging.
What are the symptoms of using K2?
It
mimics marijuana ‘high’, often induced more
quickly/more intense than ‘real’ marijuana. Symptoms
of using this synthetic drug include hallucinations,
severe agitation, dangerously elevated heart rate
(reported up to rate of 150) and blood pressure
(reported up to 200/100), increased respiration
rate, panic attacks, dilated pupils,
numbness/tingling, very pale skin, vomiting and, in
some cases, tremors, seizures, coma/unconsciousness.
Many individuals stop using the drug because after a
week or so of using it they start getting really bad
headaches.
Is
K2 dangerous?
K2
can be very dangerous because nothing is known about
the toxicity of JWH-018. Directly on the
packaging, it states, “Not for human consumption.”
Why is K2 so popular?
•
It
is legal
•
It
does not show up on drug screens, unless used within
the prior two hours
•
It
is easily available on the internet and tobacco
shops, ‘head’ shops or convenience stores
•
It
is advertised on local radio stations
•
It
is believed to be natural, and therefore safe
•
It
sells for approximately $30 to $40 per three gram
bag (about equal to 3 sugar packets), which is
comparable in cost to marijuana.
Where did it come from?
•
Developed by Dr. John W. Huffman, a Clemson
University professor, as part of research for
National
Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) on endogenous
cannabinoid receptors, but never tested on humans
nor approved by FDA
•
JWH-018 and many of its ‘cousins’ such as
HU-210/211, JWH-073 and CP 47/4497 found in these
drugs have a chemical structure shared with known
cancer-causing agents
•
All effects of K2/Spice many not be known for a long
time because of long time period that body
stores them
•
So far nothing is known about metabolism of the chemical compounds
in K2/Spice drugs, some may
be toxic and/or pharmacologically active,
differing from batch to batch in kind/amount of
applied drugs
(synthetic) thus resulting in higher risk of
accidental overdosing which has already been seen
and is
on the rise with these drugs with increase numbers
of ER and hospital incidents reported
Has K2 been banned in other places?
K2 has been banned in Britain, Germany, Poland,
South Korea, Russia and France internationally.
Kansas was the first State in the U.S. to ban this
substance, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee,
Missouri,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and in 2011
Illinois. There are other states are considering
legislation,
including Michigan, New York, Indiana, Ohio, Utah,
North Dakota, and New Jersey
(in NJ, a bill was
introduced in May, 2010.)
What is being seen in hospitals and by law
enforcement?
•
Recently linked to over 352 nationwide emergency room
incidents-includes suicide attempts,
extremely elevated heart rate/blood pressure,
comas, seizures, and anxiety attacks.
•
Police in Indianola, Iowa report 18 yr old smoking K2 resulting in
severe anxiety attack-stated was
“going to hell” and went home and shot and killed
his self.
•
Dr. Anthony Scalzo (professor of toxicology at St. Louis
University) indicates he’s seen nearly 30 cases
in past month involving teenagers experiencing
hallucinations, severe agitation, elevated heart
rate/blood pressure, vomiting and tremors/seizures
as result of smoking K2.
•
Dr. Scalzo says that what makes K2 (and other Spice derivatives) so
dangerous is that its side effects
suggest that it also affects the user’s
cardiovascular system, as well as the central
nervous system.
•
Causing difficulties for law enforcement agencies, including
probation & parole, as well as drug courts
due to difficulties in testing for presence,one
lab test now known to detect it in system but at
cost of
$50 and will probably not test positive for all
the known variations.
What can I do?
•
Discuss the dangers of K2 with tweens, teens and even adults who
may be likely to use this
substance.
•
One sign of use that parents should look for is dried herbal
residue in their children’s rooms, as well as
the foil packets in trash.
•
Check out advertising at
http://www.dutchincense.com/
(Information from facts sheets created by Sue Parr,
the legislative/public policy director for CCOVA
(Community Coalitions of VA) and the Bragg Hill
Community Coalition’s Drug Free Community Project
Director; and from Janna Hocker, Community
Consultant for the Governor’s Commission for a
Drug-Free Indiana; compiled and edited by Becky
Carlson, Center for Prevention and Counseling,
Newton, NJ.)
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