SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Fake pot has dangers, too

Editorial
There is an old saying that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
   That piece of advice applies to a couple of Kendall Park men who believed they were getting a good deal on “legal marijuana.”
   The substance, called K-2 among other names, is a mixture of herbs and spices that is sprayed with a chemical that mimics the active ingredient, THC, in natural marijuana.
   Up until this fall, the products could be sold legally as incense in some retail and online locations.
   The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration used its emergency authority in the fall to place these synthetic substances on its most restrictive list and place a federal ban on selling them.
   Some 20 states have banned these substances and are working to make them illegal, just as natural marijuana has been for the last 74 years.
   New Jersey is still working through that process and will likely join that list of states in the near future.
   According to experts in this particular field, these synthetic substitutes may very well be more pure and potent than marijuana and could have more detrimental effects on those using the substance.
   Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey Director Angelo Valente said it is very important for parents to keep a close eye on their children as far as some of these synthetic drugs are concerned because they may not appear threatening at first glance.
   Having a funky looking package of tea or incense may not raise a red flag for a mom or dad going through their kid’s school backpack looking for a note from the teacher, or taking out the old lunch box for the day.
   As we reported this week, however, these synthetic substances can have some nasty consequences.
   The two Kendall Park men called police after smoking the substance, complaining about “feeling odd.”
   By the time police arrived at the home, one of the men was even eating the grass off the lawn and throwing up.
   The fact is that we don’t know as much about these substances as we do about marijuana and about the effects that they could have immediately or in the longer term.
   Using these substances as a substitute to try and circumvent the legality and availability of illegal marijuana may very well turn out to be a much worse choice.