Pubdate: Tue, 02 Apr 2013
Source: Fort McMurray Today (CN AB)
Copyright: 2013 Fort McMurray Today
Contact: http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/letters
Website: http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1012
Author: Jordan Thompson

Synthetic marijuana

LOCAL SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA SEIZURE CATCHES ATTENTION OF TEXAN EDUCATOR

Showing how far-reaching the damaging effects of synthetic marijuana
use are, a Texas woman is applauding the efforts of Wood Buffalo's
Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit for their recent seizure of
the drug from a Fort McMurray retailer.

Ruth Rivas lives in El Paso, and attributes the use of synthetic
marijuana to the death of her 28-year-old son nearly a year ago. Now
she visits schools, churches, youth groups and more, educating people
about synthetic marijuana; from how it's created, to how it can kill
you.

"Companies get an herbal plant of some sort and it's sprayed with
synthetic cannabinoids," Rivas said. "Whenever one of those compounds
is banned, they just use a different one. All they need to do is
change just one molecule, and it's no longer a banned substance."

The packaged product almost always warns consumers it is "not for
human consumption," in order to keep health departments off the
retailer's case, even though the majority of buyers are intending to
smoke it.

In mid-March, CFSEU-Wood Buffalo seized approximately 2,500 packages
of synthetic marijuana - marketed as Spirit 4:20 Premium Herbal
Incense - from a local retailer after it was found to contain a banned
substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Rivas says synthetic marijuana is often chosen over regular, herbal
marijuana by people who are looking to get high and still be able to
pass a drug test if they have to take one - a reality for many
employees working in the oil sands.

"Well for example, with the military, if you smoke regular marijuana,
of course it's going to show up," Rivas said. "Since it's synthetic
compounds, the tests are not going to pick it up, and because the
chemicals are always changing, it's basically like a moving target. A
lot of kids who are in sports, it's not going to show up; businesses
that drug test their employees, it's not gong to show up. So they're
getting away with it, and it's legal."

The constantly changing chemical composition of synthetic marijuana
also makes it virtually impossible to accurately study its effects. If
a study was done, it would likely be irrelevant soon thereafter.
Certain synthetic cannabinoids known to be used in synthetic marijuana
have been associated with heart attacks and convulsions, and psychosis
has also been noted as a side effect of its use.

Rivas, whose son Adam passed away June 20, 2012, says she had no clue
at the time he was using synthetic marijuana, but she could tell
something was wrong.

"I did notice a good year before this happened and even before that,
he was different," she said. "He was angry and agitated and talking
crazy, and I just said, 'Who is this kid?' I could tell this wasn't my
son, but the last thing I suspected was drug abuse because they're
always drug testing them."

Serving in the United States Navy, Rivas' son was tested regularly for
drug use, and passed every time, despite the fact he was smoking
synthetic marijuana, sometimes referred to as "spice."

"I asked the coroner, 'Is this something that could have caused him to
take his own life?' and he said, 'Spice makes people do things they
wouldn't regularly do,'" Rivas said.

Since her son's death, Rivas has been actively informing anyone who
wants to know about the dangers of synthetic marijuana use.

"It's about warning them, educating them. What I always begin with is,
'I am here to tell you what it is, how it's made and what it can do to
you,' and then I share my son's life with them. He was so smart, so
strong, but he was no match for synthetic marijuana."

To learn more about the facts on synthetic marijuana and Rivas' story,
residents can visit her website at www.spiceisnotnice.org .
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