Synthetic Marijuana and Bath Salts Dangers Discussed at Board of Health
By: Monica Yantosh
Updated: January 18, 2013
The Board of Health was asked by City Council to look into the effects of bath salts and synthetic marijuana to help City Council figure out what measures to take in Lubbock.
Dr. Laura Pratt, with the City Attorney's Office, gave a presentation at the meeting, where she not only discussed the dangers of the synthetic drugs, but also the legality of the drugs.
There are federal and state laws dealing with synthetic drugs, but even Dr. Pratt said it is hard to compile a list of the banned compounds.
When the drugs are banned, they aren't banned by the side effects or how a person acts on them, but rather by the compounds that make them up. That's where it gets tricky, because often, manufacturers will slightly alter their compounds to make a new one which is not on the banned list.
Dr. Pratt said helping to decrease their use in Lubbock will come from education. "The public needs to know that these substances are not safe, they're not all the same, they're not organic and they're not herbal, and they're not legal," said Pratt.
Dr. Brian Carr, Chairman of the Board of Health, said the Board of Health is working on a public awareness campaign to get information to the public, younger people especially, about the dangers of the synthetic drugs.
"They say these are bad drugs, and we need to do something about them," said Dr. Carr. "It has no marijuana in it, just a green leafy substance that could have been weeds pulled from a vacant lot, and sprayed with these chemicals."
Councilwoman Latrelle Joy said City Council is working on legislation for synthetic drugs, but won't vote on anything for a little while longer.
"It is a very dangerous product," said Joy. "They say, 'Ok I'll try this, it's a baby step', when it's anything but a baby step, it's actually a giant step that could result in loss of life."
Dr. Laura Pratt, with the City Attorney's Office, gave a presentation at the meeting, where she not only discussed the dangers of the synthetic drugs, but also the legality of the drugs.
There are federal and state laws dealing with synthetic drugs, but even Dr. Pratt said it is hard to compile a list of the banned compounds.
When the drugs are banned, they aren't banned by the side effects or how a person acts on them, but rather by the compounds that make them up. That's where it gets tricky, because often, manufacturers will slightly alter their compounds to make a new one which is not on the banned list.
Dr. Pratt said helping to decrease their use in Lubbock will come from education. "The public needs to know that these substances are not safe, they're not all the same, they're not organic and they're not herbal, and they're not legal," said Pratt.
Dr. Brian Carr, Chairman of the Board of Health, said the Board of Health is working on a public awareness campaign to get information to the public, younger people especially, about the dangers of the synthetic drugs.
"They say these are bad drugs, and we need to do something about them," said Dr. Carr. "It has no marijuana in it, just a green leafy substance that could have been weeds pulled from a vacant lot, and sprayed with these chemicals."
Councilwoman Latrelle Joy said City Council is working on legislation for synthetic drugs, but won't vote on anything for a little while longer.
"It is a very dangerous product," said Joy. "They say, 'Ok I'll try this, it's a baby step', when it's anything but a baby step, it's actually a giant step that could result in loss of life."
