Austin, Texas officials say that synthetic smokable drugs often mislabeled as “synthetic marijuana” by the media are to blame for at least 15 calls for physically violent and unconscious individuals Wednesday evening. Many people turn to this crap, popularly called “Spice” or “K2”, as an alternative to smoking marijuana because the chemicals don’t show up on drug tests.
From the reports, it appears that most of the incidents happened to homeless or transient people at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless and the Salvation Army. Initial reports to 911 were for people having seizures, but police say that they were able to trace them all back to a chemical-dusted smokable substance – though they didn’t have a brand name for it or any idea where it was sold.
EMS on the scene said that most of the people they had to deal with smoked the drug, passed out then woke up in a fog and haze. Several became violent, including one man who ripped through the restrains that paramedics had used to secure him and began tearing up the inside of the ambulance.
Granted, this is probably being blown out of proportion (remember the face-eating Miami guy?) and the number of drunks they have to deal with nightly in Austin pales in comparison – but it still underscores the fact that people turn to these unproven chemicals made in foreign labs because they can’t use marijuana. Unfortunately, the stuff has become widely known as “synthetic marijuana”. It’s inaccurate, and stigmatizes real pot — which isn’t dangerous, nor does it cause people to become irrationally violent (despite what the Denver media wants you to believe).
Currently, marijuana possession of two ounces or less is a misdemeanor charge with up to 180 days in jail and $2,000 in fines. Possession of a gram or less of hash is a felony charge with up to two years in jail and $10,000 in fines.
