There has been an increase in the use of synthetic drugs in schools throughout the country. San Diego, in particular, has seen a significant rise as hundreds of calls have been made to the Poison Control Center from young people affected by these drugs. To address the recent surge and related concerns, the United Stated Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has used its emergency scheduling authority to temporarily control five chemicals used to make "fake pot" products. California legislation, however, is pending and the legislation may not ban possession for personal use of synthetic drugs. In San Diego Unified, we will continue to recommend that student cases involving synthetic drugs should be handled similarly to incidents involving "controlled" substances (i.e., possession, use, selling/buying). 

Spice. Over the past year, smokable herbal blends marketed as being "legal" and providing a marijuana-like high, have become increasingly popular, particularly among teens and young adults. These products consist of plant material that has been coated with research chemicals that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and are sold at a variety of retail outlets, in smoke shops, and over the internet. These chemicals, however, have not been approved by the FDA for human consumption and there is no oversight of the manufacturing process - brands such as "Spice," "K2," "Blaze,", and "Red X Dawn" are labeled as incense to mask their intended purpose.

Bath Salts. Another synthetic stimulant called "Bath Salts" is the newest fad to add to the growing list of items young people can use to get high. The synthetic powder is sold legally online and in drug paraphernalia stores under a variety of names, such as "Ivory Wave," "Purple Wave," "Red Dove, " "Blue Silk," "Zoom," "Scarface," and a variety of other titles (for a more complete list of names, please visit the principals' website). These drugs are typically administered orally, by inhalation, or by injection, with the worst outcomes associated with snorting or intravenous administration. The chemicals act in the brain like stimulant drugs (indeed they are sometimes touted as cocaine substitutes); thus they present a high abuse and addiction liability.