'K2' IS NOT OK -- BAN FAKE MARIJUANA

There is a new concern for parents of New Jersey teens: imitation
marijuana that is being legally sold in the state to anyone of any
age.

More alarming is the fact that this synthetic drug -- marketed as
incense -- comes with some dangerous side effects. At Sunrise Detox in
Stirling, we have tracked nearly a dozen states that are considering a
ban on this alleged incense, commonly referred to as "K2," a
concoction of chemicals that turn herbs into synthetic marijuana.

K2, also known as "Spice," "Mr. Smiley," "Genie," and "Zohai," is
widely available in New Jersey "head shops," convenience stores and
online. Most of it is shipped to the Garden State from Korea and
China, where workers spray herbs and spices with a synthetic compound
similar to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Teenagers in New Jersey-- or anyone else, for that matter -- just need
to roll it up in joints or inhale it from pipes. It even comes in
fruit flavors for those who don't like the taste of pot or maybe don't
know the difference. Either way, chemicals trick the brain into
thinking the body is ingesting authentic cannabis.

Poison centers nationwide have reported 352 cases of people sickened
by the substance in 35 states, according USA Today. Patients who have
smoked the faux dope have complained of hallucinations, paranoia,
severe agitation, elevated heart rates, vomiting, seizures and
dangerously high blood pressure.

Dr. Anthony Scalzo, a toxicologist at Saint Louis University,
explained that these symptoms are not typical for those who smoke real
pot. "They think they're going to mellow, and that's not what's
happening," he told The Associated Press.

Federally, steps are being taken to yank K2 from the shelves. The U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration is working to put the chemicals in K2
in the same drug category as heroin and cocaine.

New Jersey is also taking steps in that direction. Assemblywoman Mary
Pat Angelini, R-Wall, introduced a bill in the Assembly (A2644) on May
13 that would consider K2 and other synthetic drugs to be controlled
dangerous substances. The bill is moving slowly through the state
Legislature. It is now before the Assembly Law and Public Safety
Committee. There is no scheduled date to hear the bill and no
identical bill in the Senate.

I urge federal and New Jersey state lawmakers to move
swiftly.

There have been numerous news articles about the dangers of K2. In
late October, two Florida teens were hospitalized. One had seizures,
shook and vomited after smoking a substance called "Mr. Nice Guy."
When police were investigating his condition, a teenager who
accompanied him experienced increased heart rate and vomited.

We all know that people have been smoking cannabis for thousands of
years. Lots has been written and discussed about the positive and
negative attributes of the drug. But what concerns us about K2 is the
limited information available. No one knows the long-term effects --
especially on the development of children.

At Sunrise Detox, we've spoken to some of our addiction professionals
about K2 and how best to protect New Jersey teenagers. We learned that
it is very difficult to regulate K2, as stores can circumvent bans by
making slight changes to K2's chemical formula, creating knockoffs
with names such as "K3," "Heaven Scent" and "Syn."

One user told us that a New Jersey ban will have no effect, saying she
that has purchased a K2 alternative called "BoCoMo Dew," and that any
regulation will only force the manufacturers to alter the product.

Enough of the games. Lawmakers must push A2644 toward approval. It's
straightforward legislation that calls for a sweeping ban on K2 and
any other so-called incense that could be smoked to get high.

There has been robust debate about the use of medical marijuana in the
state -- figuring out who should have access to it and when.
Meanwhile, K2 is spreading unregulated throughout the state. On behalf
of every parent in New Jersey, it's time for our lawmakers to give
this fake weed the immediate attention it requires.

Ira Levy is a detoxification expert at Sunrise Detox
(sunrisedetox.com), a private luxury detoxification center in Stirling.