Pubdate: Sat, 14 May 2011 Source: Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro, TN) Copyright: 2011 The Daily News Journal Contact: http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=CUSTOMERSERVICE03 Website: http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1709 Author: Mark Bell VAMPIRE BLOOD COULD BE OUTLAWED 'Boro-Made 'Incense' Likely to Be Labeled As Synthetic Drug MURFREESBORO -- A "powerful" designer drug that mimics the effects of marijuana when smoked is being manufactured, packaged and sold right here in Murfreesboro, and it's "100 percent legal" -- for now. Vampire Blood is marketed as an incense but is being smoked by buyers looking for a high, according to local police and emergency officials. At least two individuals required emergency care in recent weeks after experiencing ill effects from smoking the product. "Some users admit to tachycardia (an increased heart rate) and dizziness," said Middle Tennessee Medical Center Emergency Services Director Jeff Williams, who explained the short-term effects of smoking Vampire Blood are not as concerning to health care professionals as the long-term effects. "Not knowing what problems could arise later from using this drug should discourage its use." As such, the product is likely to become illegal in Tennessee July 1 thanks to state legislation aimed at cracking down on the entire spectrum of what are known as synthetic cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are a class of chemical compounds are found in natural marijuana -- the most notable of which is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - -- that produce the "high" a user gets when he or she smokes marijuana. Vampire Blood and several other similar products that are being sold in gas stations, markets and smoke shops across Murfreesboro likely contain man-made versions of cannabinoids. In some cases, such products are three to five times more potent than their natural counterparts, according to a February 2010 article that appeared in the Columbia Missourian. The article compared "K2," a product similar to Vampire Blood that contained two types of synthetic cannabinoids, to the potency of THC in marijuana. Though the creators of Vampire Blood haven't revealed exactly which synthetic cannabinoids or other chemicals are in their product, one of the product's creators told The Daily News Journal Vampire Blood won't be manufactured by his company after the law banning the production, sale or possession of synthetic cannabinoids goes into effect. So how is it that a product like Vampire Blood is "100 percent legal" to begin with? There's simply no law in Tennessee making it illegal to sell synthetic cannabinoid-containing products yet, especially when the product is also labeled not for human consumption. While certain synthetic cannabinoids were outlawed under former Gov. Phil Bredesen about a year ago, several dozen more exist, according to the Senate bill aimed at stomping out the use of synthetic cannabinoid-containing products. Vampire Blood is marketed and sold under the guise that is an "incense" and the cardboard label attached to the baggy containing the product reads "not for human consumption, for use with aromatherapy." There's no indication that the use of synthetic cannabinoids enhances the smell of incense in any way, according to aroma-therapy experts. The products sit only feet away from bongs, pipes and other smoking devices in many of the independent markets, including Middle Tennessee Super Market, that sell them. Each 1 gram bag sells for approximately $15. That's roughly the same as what a gram of real marijuana would cost on the street, according to police, though prices can vary widely. Like other manufacturers of synthetic cannabinoid-containing herbal mixes, the manufacturers of Vampire Blood, also known as "V," spray their chemical mixes an assorted variety of plant materials and allow them to dry. In the case of Vampire Blood, one gram of the chemical-laden plant materials are then stuffed into a little white or black plastic baggy. A black, cardboard label reading "Vampire Blood," and "100 percent legal," is then stapled to the baggy. Vampire Blood is produced by a company called Nibirian Herbs, according to its label and made in Murfreesboro. The creators of Vampire Blood were recently quoted in a story that appeared on BoroPulse.com, which referenced them only by their initials, J.D. and A.S., as saying they were leaving it up to consumers to use their products responsibly. The Daily News Journal was able to identify Jason Dietz and Aaron Swisher through a business license for Nibirian Herbs obtained at the county clerk's office and sought interviews with the two CEOs of the company concerning their products, which include Vampire Blood, White Rabbit, Dank and the "Wild Rose" variety of Vampire Blood. Dietz declined to comment on the record when contacted at Nibirian Herbs' listed business phone number on Thursday. No number existed for Swisher. Nibirian Herbs is properly registered to do business in Rutherford County as a distributor of "home-made aromatherapy products." Nibirian Herbs' business address is the same as Dietz's home address, 310 E. McKnight St., and his business has been around since July 28, 2010, records show. Dietz and Swisher launched their company, Nibirian Herbs, in the summer of 2010 after Tennessee lawmakers and Gov. Phil Bredesen banned the sale of any product containing the synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018, JWH-073, HU-210, HU-211 and others. Packaging on a quantity of Vampire Blood obtained by The Daily News Journal states that the product does not contain any of those cannabinoids. The article that quotes the two said they saw the 2010 ban on certain synthetic cannabinoids by the legislature as "a challenge to create a new blend of herbs that would offer a similar aromatic experience." Both stressed they were not advocating the misuse of their product, which they say is an incense product. "It generates a relaxed, euphoric feeling when you burn it in your house," A.S. said in the article. However, online community message boards like Topix.com are being frequented by users who say they have smoked the product. Most of those who reviewed the product after smoking it said the experience was similar to marijuana, but in many respects more "intense." Others have said the high is much shorter in duration when compared to natural marijuana and others have even had bad reactions to the product. "I personally had to try it out, and after 2 hits off a bowl of 'Vampire Blood- Wild Rose' packed and sold from Murfreesboro TN I got VERY VERY STONED, followed by intense sweating, twitching, and almost blacking out a number of times before it wore off," wrote Topix user Local Guy. "Personally, I'll never do it again. I felt that it was FAR from natural and could be a slow but sure terrorist attack (on the body) in some way." So are products like Vampire Blood safe? The answer is most likely no, according to MTMC's emergency services director. "They are smoking an unknown chemical that could cause unknown health issues," Williams said. "We don't know what these chemicals are, and aside from the neurological changes these drugs cause, there is an issue when you smoke them and physiologic changes may occur." Doctors have also said smoking the plant material upon which the chemicals in Vampire Blood and other products are sprayed may cause damage to a user's lungs. "Any time you inhale smoke into your lungs, it paralyzes the cilia in the lungs among other potential problems," Williams explained. Emergency paramedics responded to at least two instances in recent weeks in which someone suffered ill effects from Vampire Blood, including one who complained of having hallucinations. Williams said the treatment for those having a bad reaction to synthetic cannabinoids is the same as what would be given to someone having a bad reaction to natural cannabinoids: "Time (to let the drug run its course) and treat any associated symptoms." "As with any drug, people respond differently," he added. "A 30-year study by the government and looking back at history over 100 years, there has never been a documented death related to overdose or usage of cannabinoids (natural or synthetic). The test revealed that a human could not smoke enough marijuana to overdose." Most emergency room doctors at MTMC are undecided on whether they think synthetic marijuana products like Vampire Blood should be made illegal, according to Williams. "Because there is a lack of scientific research and no real issues at this point in the ED, most are undecided," Williams said, further explaining that "from the standpoint that these drugs aren't tested or governed by the FDA or the DEA, it is an issue." State lawmakers and other government officials are far from oblivious to designer drugs like Vampire Blood and it appears it is only a matter of time until the products will be removed from store shelves all together. Just this past April, Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr. made it temporarily illegal to sell any mephedrone-containing product, like Molly's Plant Food, in the state. The purpose of the temporary freeze was to allow the legislature enough time to pass a bill to make the sale of the products illegal permanently. Mephedrone, a drug that mimics some of the effects of cocaine, Ecstasy and amphetamines, was being marketed and sold as plant food and bath salts. Following the temporary ban, police all over the state confiscated drugs like Molly's Plant Foods from area smoke shops and markets. The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office was still confiscating the product as recently as a week ago, according to Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold. In the summer of 2010 state lawmakers outlawed the ingredients in several synthetic marijuana products, including "K2," which contained various amounts of the synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018, JWH-074, HU-210 and HU-211. And just a little more than a week ago, state lawmakers in the Tennessee Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 1726 that will make the production, manufacture, distribution or possession of all synthetic cannabinoids illegal in Tennessee. The bill, sponsored by Memphis Democrat Reginald Tate, is currently awaiting Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's signature. If signed, the law would go into effect July 1 and a violation of it would be a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 11 months and 29 days in jail. State Rep. Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna, told The Daily News Journal he is urging area smoke shops, markets, convenience stores and others who have the potential to carry products like Vampire Blood right now not to do so. The legislator, who was part of the group that sponsored a ban on Molly's Plant Food, would also like to see community members approaching stores that carry products like Vampire Blood to ask them to stop. "If you own a market, don't sell it," Sparks said. "If you live in the community and know a market is selling it, ask them not to. I hate to quote Hillary Clinton of all people, but it really does take a community to help raise a family and if we could look out for our youth as a community we would be a lot better off." (Page 6 of 6) While local police officers are frustrated to see people using products like Vampire Blood to get high, there is little they can do to curb the use of designer drugs right now. "I think it is frustrating to see people use this product in a way that will likely result in bodily harm," said Murfreesboro Police spokesman Kyle Evans. "It is frustrating to see people end up in the hospital after misusing these products. Like Molly's Plant Food, law enforcement would like to see this type of product outlawed all together." Evans said it's important to note that officers can still arrest users of products that contain synthetic cannabinoids if they are driving under the influence or committing other crimes while high. "If someone is under the influence of an intoxicant of any type, they may be charged with DUI if probable cause exists," he said. "The TBI Forensic Toxicology Lab does a great job of detecting a wide range of drugs other than alcohol, prescription drugs and marijuana." TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helms confirmed the TBI does have the capability to test blood for synthetic cannabinoids. "It is no more expensive to test for one type of compound than another," she said. Evans said if the pending legislation to outlaw synthetic cannabinoids is passed, then MPD will "actively seek to arrest those who continue to possess these types of substances." Until then, Evans said the MPD urges parents to talk about designer drugs with their children and teens. MPD said its important to explain to children that using products in a manner inconsistent with their label is dangerous. "Using a product in a way other than it is intended can result in life changing or life-ending consequences," Evans said. "We submit that doing so is dangerous." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.