Also called “designer drugs,” synthetic drugs are meant to imitate the properties and effects of a known hallucinogen or narcotic. They may have unknown side effects or cause an adverse reaction, and they’re manufactured in an effort to evade certain restrictions against illegal drugs. It’s considered a crime in the State of Texas to manufacture, deliver, or be in possession of a synthetic drug. The Office of the Attorney General takes aggressive measures to investigate and prosecute businesses and individuals who sell synthetic drugs to people in the State of Texas. These dangerous, addictive, and sometimes deadly drugs can destroy families and take lives.
Some of the common synthetic drugs include but may not be limited to:
- Synthetic cannabinoids
- Bath salts
- Fentanyl
- Carfentanyl
- Pink
- Flakka
Be sure to speak to a qualified attorney for more information about the laws related to synthetic drugs in the State of Texas.
Reasons to be Concerned About Synthetic Drugs in the State of Texas
Not only are there certain types of “synthetic marijuana,” but there are other synthetic drugs that are advertised as “fake cocaine” or “fake meth.” Both of them are marketed as legal equivalents to illegal drugs, but all of them can cause dangerous side effects. This may result in a number of calls to poison centers, which has led to a growing level of concern from doctors around the country. Roughly 60% of people who have been admitted to the hospital for using synthetic cannabinoids are between 12 and 20 years old, and Texas ranked second among all the U.S. states in the number of calls to poison control centers regarding the use of synthetic cannabinoids in 2016.
Late last year, poison centers started to get calls about products that were marketed as “bath salts” that we sold on the Internet, in gas stations, and at head shops. They often come in a plastic bag that’s filled with a “white granular powder,” and they’re often known as the following:
- Red Dove
- Blue Silk
- Zoom
- Bloom
- Cloud 9
- Ocean Snow
- Lunar Wave
- Vanilla Sky
- Ivory Wave
- White Lightning
- Scarface
- Hurricane Charlie
These synthetic drugs can cause the following side effects:
- Increased heart rate
- Increased blood pressure
- Agitation
- Hallucinations
- Extreme paranoia
- Delusions
The number of calls to poison control centers related to these substances have increased in the last several years, and many states (including Texas) have passed laws that have made bath salts and other synthetic drugs illegal. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has also banned the chemicals that are used to manufacture these dangerous drugs.
What Texas is Doing About Synthetic Drug Abuse
The level of synthetic drug abuse has skyrocketed in the State of Texas. And in response to this problem, the Texas Attorney General has launched an initiative to research the issue while providing free resources to families who need help. Many people between the ages of 12 and 20 use synthetic drugs in Texas, which can leave them at high risk of losing their lives or having an addiction as an adult because of early drug use. Many young people hear the word marijuana in the name of a synthetic product, and they think it will have a similar effect. The reality is that these products are hallucinogens, and many people who use them experience the following:
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Suicidal thoughts
Many people have died after just one use, which isn’t common with marijuana (except during extremely heavy use or when it’s used in combination with other substances). While natural marijuana is an unsafe and addictive substance, synthetic marijuana is much more dangerous. Using it once can lead to a medical emergency, which can lead to sudden death. And because it’s a relatively new product, very little is known about its long-term effects.
Storeowners and police officers can’t tell the difference between legal and illegal synthetic drugs because they’re all packaged the same way, but consumers can be fooled as well. The effects of every package of synthetic drugs will vary with every dose, which can put the user in extreme danger. This is the problem when these substances are sold on the street, because there’s no one there to regulate the product while it’s being manufactured. So, there’s no way to know exactly what’s inside each package or how it will affect the user.
If you’re looking for a criminal defense attorney in Corpus Christi with years of experience in synthetic drug cases, get in touch with Gale Law Group today!