Pubdate: Fri, 27 Nov 2015
Source: Niagara Falls Review, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Niagara Falls Review
Contact: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/letters
Website: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2907
Author: Tony Ricciuto
Page: A1

Crime: Shatter Six Times Stronger Than the Average Marijuana Dose

COPS WARN OF DANGEROUS DRUG

Shatter Six Times Stronger Than the Average Marijuana Dose

A new street drug called shatter has surfaced in Niagara.

Police Chief Jeff McGuire wants the public to know it can be 
dangerous when manufactured because one of the solvents used is butane.

"It's fairly new here. It's just another process where somebody has 
developed a method of dragging out the THC, which is one of the main 
active ingredients in marijuana and hashish, and making it into a 
more powerful drug for use," McGuire said.

At Thursday's Police Services Board meeting, the chief touched on the 
subject during one of his monthly reports.

He mentioned a recent case in Niagara Falls where two people were 
arrested and charged with production of the drug. Police seized a 
quantity of drugs, including a large amount of shatter, totalling 
about $55,000, plus a quantity of cash.

"I'm sure the drug has been around for a while, but we're just 
starting to hear a little bit about it here," said McGuire.

The drug has also started to show up in other communities.

Last week, Illinois State Police issued a warning about shatter, a 
drug that is new to the Chicago area.

Police there say shatter is up to six times stronger than the average 
marijuana. The drug is reported to cause users to disconnect from reality.

Shatter is described as resembling a sheet of amber or brown glass 
and contains a higher concentration of THC.

Police in a number of other cities across the United States have also 
reported the drug starting to show up on their city streets.

Shatter has also been described by police as resembling clear, thin 
sheets of dried honey or tree sap. When it is smashed, it shatters. 
That's how the name originated.

NRP Staff Sgt. Luigi Greco of the Niagara Falls detachment said to 
get the THC oil out, the marijuana bud and the leaves, stock and stem 
are ground up into a fine powder.

Part of the process involves packing the powder into a pipe or tube 
and running butane through it.

"The resin is spread out and it almost becomes like a hard candy," 
said Greco. "People get more of a high from it, but if you read up on 
it some say it can be highly addictive."

What makes the manufacturing process so dangerous, he adds, is that 
people are using butane solvents in small compact places, without 
much ventilation, which can result in an explosion.
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