Pubdate: Thu, 06 Jun 2013
Source: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus (MI)
Copyright: 2013 Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/Kk1qVKJf
Website: http://www.livingstondaily.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4265
Author: Amanda Whitesell

NEW DRUG ON THE RISE IN TEENS

Experts Says Substance Is Provoking Some Questions

It's referred to as "wax," "honey oil" or "BHO" ---- and a little dab 
is enough to do you, says Karen Bergbower.

The licensed substance-abuse-prevention expert said butane hash oil 
contains up to 80 percent to 90 percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, 
the high-inducing compound found in marijuana. Livingston County 
teens have not overlooked the new form of substance abuse, Bergbower said.

Students from one local high school reportedly left prom early to 
head down to "the city to purchase some wax," according to 
information provided by students to the Livingston County Community 
Alliance project success coordinators, she said, declining to provide 
more details.

The waxy substance is manufactured by using butane, or lighter fluid, 
to extract parts of the marijuana plant that are often discarded. 
Disasters from the do-it-yourself drugmakers have been reported, 
mostly on the West Coast, Bergbower explained.

On March 24, a hash-oil lab explosion in a Harrision Township 
apartment building left four people injured. Three of the victims 
experienced severe burns, and the fire caused about $500,000 in damage.

"Butane is a highly flammable product," Bergbower said. "Anytime it's 
manufactured, it creates extremely dangerous conditions, especially 
if it's made by an extremely inexperienced person who gets directions 
of how to make it off the Internet."

The potency of hash oil depends on the amount of THC in the marijuana 
from which it is derived, she said.

Plus, the marijuana that youth are exposed to today contains higher 
levels of THC than ever before, according to Ken Stecker, of the 
Prosecuting Attorney's Association of Michigan, who spoke at a forum 
last week in Livingston County.

In 2008, marijuana contained on average about 10 percent THC compared 
to about 4 percent in 1983, he said.

The new form of the drug leaves experts with some questions.

"We still don't know what these different forms mean as far as 
impacting the addictive quality on the brain," said Bergbower, who 
heads the Pinckney Coalition.

Evidence has shown, however, that the earlier age of first drug use 
means higher risk for addiction later in life, according to Bergbower.

"A lot of people still believe marijuana to be a safe drug, but 
unfortunately, due to technology and science, it's a much different 
marijuana than it used to be," she said.

Bergbower said the hash oil got its start at medical marijuana 
dispensaries, which have since widely adopted a water-based extraction method.

Parents concerned that their children may be using the new form of 
drug should look for any type of metal object, like a knife or 
screwdriver, marked with a burn that may have been used to heat the 
product. Users would also have typical drug paraphernalia items like 
pipes or bongs, which may have been used to smoke it. Plastic food 
storage containers or lip balm tubes are common places to store the 
drug, according to Bergbower.

- - The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom