Dangerous New Designer Drugs

STORY: Debi MacIntyre, Executive Director of Be Free Lake!

New and harmful substances are emerging with unfailing regularity on the drug scene, challenging drug-control systems because of their creativity and speed entering the marketplace. Every generation seems to push the cultural and moral limits by using drugs. The cycle is ongoing, with each new generation facing a seemingly unique set of challenges—some innocuous, some offensive and some outright catastrophic. The most recent trend involves 12 synthetic or designer drugs that are nonorganic, chemically altered substances. These drugs mimic the effects of pre-existing, banned, and controlled substances. Following is a list of 12 of the newest and most dangerous designer drugs.

BATH SALTS
A synthetic cathinone, this is not the traditional bath salts used for water softening or aromatherapy purposes. This nervous system stimulant is used as a recreational drug and is popular among teens and young adults. Bath Salts have a host of street names—Vanilla Sky, Blue Silk, Snow Leopard (and many others). It is sold in powder form (white, off-white or slightly yellowed) in small plastic or foil packages. It can be snorted, injected, smoked, mixed with food or drink, and used as an airborne mist. Abusers report agitation, insomnia, irritability, dizziness, depression, paranoia, delusions, suicidal thoughts, seizures, and panic attacks. Bath Salts are easily available through the internet, convenience stores, and retail outlets known as “head shops.”

DEVIL’S BREATH
Scopolamine has a reputation of being the “scariest drug in the world.” It blocks free will, wipes away memory, and may even kill. One gram is similar to cocaine, but can be worse than anthrax. This drug turns people into complete zombies within minutes of ingestion and when it wears off, people often have no recollection of what happened to them including robbery and rape. This drug is odorless, tasteless, and can be simply blown into the face of someone on the street.

CHEESE
Black tar heroin is combined with crushed Xanax or Tylenol PM tablets to create a highly addictive and very dangerous tan-colored powder snorted through the nose. It is packaged in a small paper bundle or clear zip baggie and can be bought for as little as $2. Symptoms include drowsiness and lethargy, euphoria, excessive thirst, disorientation, hunger, and extreme personality changes.

KROKODIL
This drug is a derivative of morphine (Desomorphine) and has sedative and analgesic effects while being eight to ten times more potent than morphine. It is easily made from codeine, lighter fluid, industrial cleaning fluid, gasoline other substances. Withdrawal from Krokodil can take an agonizing MONTH. The user’s skin turns greenish and scaly at the site of injection as blood vessels rupture and cause surrounding tissue to die.

BROMO-DRAGONFLY (B-FLY)
This synthetic hallucinogenic substance is similar to phenethylamines and has similar effects of those of LSD. B-Fly is sold over Internet. It is very toxic and the risk of overdose is high. It is often taken in combination with other drugs and its effects last much longer and can lead to double dosing and overdose.

CRUNK
This newest fad includes a “high” created right at home from ingredients found in any medicine cabinet and refrigerator. Called Crunk Concoction, it is a deadly juice that teens down in hopes of getting high. It is a soda or other beverage mixed with an over-the-counter cough syrup and crushed prescription painkillers. Crunk produces an intense rush causing blackouts and breathing problems, and even death.

Gummy bears soak up vodka. They can be odorless and the person eating them has no idea how much vodka they put into their system.

HAND SANITIZER
A few squirts of hand sanitizer is the latest in a string of household products used to induce intoxication and may be equal to a couple shots of hard liquor. A few swallows is all it takes to get the intoxicated effects of alcohol—slurred speech, unresponsiveness, and possible coma.

WEED BUTTER (Synthetic Cannaboid)
The process involves cooking marijuana with butter. The bonding makes the THC in the marijuana more potent. THC is soluble in fats and alcohol. Butter and oils are loaded with fat, and serve as a perfect carrier for THC to go straight to the bloodstream where it will stay with the body for longer periods of time (up to months) after ingesting it. Hashish is often substituted for marijuana in the butter.

KHAT
Fresh leaves provide amphetamine-like result and it is abused for its stimulant and euphoric effects. Khat is consumed orally as a tea; chewed into a paste; and sometimes smoked or sprinkled on food. After ingesting Khat, the user experiences an immediate increase in blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, there are immediate physiological effects such as physical hallucinations and suicidal thoughts.

KRATOM
An herbal drug of abuse, Kratom contains 25 compounds that act as poisons. One of these chemicals is considered a true opiate and is 17 times more potent than morphine by weight. Kratom is frequently marketed as a natural pain reliever and an alternative to powerful addictive narcotics like OxyContin; however, it is just as addictive with short-term and long-term side effects.

SMILES
Also nicknamed N-Bomb, Smiles is the latest synthetic drug responsible for teen deaths. Often abused for its hallucinogenic effects, is found in tablet, liquid, capsule, or powder form. The drug is often misrepresented by distributors and sold as other hallucinogens such as MDMA and LSD.

Packaging often says, “Not for human consumption.” Despite this warning, many people continue to experiment.

Call 911 or your local poison control center at 800-222-1222 for help.