Synthetic Marijuana Is The Scourge Of South Texas And Its Killing Our Community

A scourge of epic proportion is sweeping our communities and sending our children to jail, the hospital, and even to the morgue. Ladies and gentlemen I bring you the new enemy of South Texas, synthetic marijuana.

You can ask any law enforcement agency in the region and they will agree that synthetic marijuana is the number one problem in our community today. This drug is nothing like the marijuana from your college days, with side effects like getting the munchies or being generally lazy. Nope, this stuff will wreck your life and affect everyone around you including the community.

Strangely enough the drug started off simply as an alternative to smoking regular marijuana, a move that helped create a steady base of users in the community. Originally the substance was sold legally, hence the term "legal weed", and was marketed to the public as an incense or potpourri.

Of course labeling and other marketing efforts widely appealed to the "stoner community", which only increased the use by those looking to cheat a drug test or avoid getting caught buying marijuana on the streets.

Clever names such as "Scooby Snacks, Mister Nice Guy, and K2", compiled with cartoon style graphics made an alternative appeal to a younger generation which has lead to the growth of teen abusers of the drug.

Many users originally started smoking the deadly substance becasue it would not show up on a standard drug test. Those who liked to smoke marijuana but were looking for work began to use the substance as an alternative to smoking the real deal. Individuals on probation or finding themselves forced to take random drug tests as part of employment or the judicial system began to use the drug regularly to avoid having a positive urine test.

Police have told me time and time again, that many young users believe that the drug is no better, or no worse than regular marijuana. These officers will tell you that this statement could not be any farther from the truth. Unlike marijuana, synthetic marijuana has the ability to not only kill you with one use, but it can cause an assortment of permanent impairments.

Not to say that smoking marijuana isn't bad for you physically, but when was the last time you heard of someone smoking a joint and then having a stroke, a heart attack, or seizure?

Police are finding people passed out in their car in the middle of an intersection, or in parking lots asleep after smoking the drug. There have been numerous cases where those using the substance are found just sitting in their cars with the engine running completely oblivious to the police as they knock on the window to wake the user up. Even more troubling is the users are committing violent crimes and most times have no clue what they did.

The physical symptoms of using synthetic marijuana are so severe that like the so called "harder drugs" such as cocaine, heroin, and meth, one use can kill or destroy ones mind. Many users inevitably will due something to harm themselves, or others, to the peril of the public.

Now the drug has become a standard among the community, as it has become so easy to get that all one needs to do is get on line to find some. Though the substance has been outlawed, law enforcement find it increasingly difficult to prosecute those who have been discovered to be in possession of it due to the lack of accurate testing in the state.

Another troubling issue is that the manufacturers of the substance continually change the chemical compounds present in the substance in order to stay ahead of legislation that bans the consumption of certain chemicals found in the drug. Though the Federal and State Government is trying to address the issue, a steady stream of users and addicts of the substance are found every where in our community.

I spoke to the mother of a 14-year old kid who is addicted to synthetic marijuana. This poor woman's son, who I have personally met, continuously runs away from home to get high. For days he goes missing leaving his mother to worry. Law enforcement look every where for him to no avail. Eventually he returns home, but usually after he has run out of money or has no other place to go. He has been arrested several times for an array of behavioral problems, but never has any serious legal consequences due to his age. Unfortunately for this young man he will have to learn the hard way as so many other addicts do.

My advice is to speak with your children and your loved ones about synthetic marijuana and other drugs. Educate them and yourself on the topic. Speak to counselors who are knowledgeable about the drug or simply perform a search on the internet. Most importantly, if you suspect someone you know or love is using synthetic marijuana or any other drug excessively, don't screw around and get that person some help.

Also, don't get discouraged if someone has to go to a rehab or seek treatment several times before they finally get a grip and quit. Substance abuse on any level is more of a mental addiction and less of a physical addiction nine out of ten times. Getting the drug or substance out of ones system is the easy part, learning the intricacies of why a person uses the substance in the first place is the hard part.

Never, ever, enable the user. I'm not saying throw them out and let em starve. What I am saying is life is a game of survival, and as my father used to tell me the lord will help those who help themselves, and that is true in addiction. Let them learn, let them discover, and support them, but don't let their use and behavior ruin your life. Its hard, but eventually they will learn or be swallowed, those are the only options in addiction.

Remember that you never know who may have the genetic make up to become a substance abuser or addict, and once you start it is surely hard to stop. Don't be scared to to cut people out for your life or your child's life that encourage or exhibit behaviors that condone substance abuse. Be knowledgeable on the topic and subject manner and reinforce positive decisions in your child and loved ones. Always remember, if it causes problems, it is a problem, and if your having problems, you can fix the problem. The power to choose and act is in your hands.