Cocaine increases dopamine levels in the brain, causing users to get "high." (Photo : Reuters)
A variant of a drug termed as "Spice" is causing a large of people to visit the hospital emergency rooms and poison control centres. Health officials are worried over this nationwide phenomenon and the developments in the dangerous variations on Spice.
Health departments across the country noted numerous cases of poisoning this year amounting to more than 1000, according to NYTimes.
The drug which imitates the effects of Marijuana causes damaging effects like anxiety, delusions and violent behavior. A few people died after taking the drug. The Baton Rouge area alone saw 110 cases in February which is alarming. Officials observed that most of the cases stem from a form of the drug called mab-chminaca, according to Tech Times.
It is a worrying sight as the officials are unable to control the use and distribution of these drugs. The main distribution occurs from Asia and almost every month newer and newer formulations and variations are designed. Thus it is almost impossible to detect the items.
The drugs resemble marijuana but their effects are almost a hundred times more potent. The physiological effects that it creates are far worse than the current crop of illegal drugs.
It is an extremely alarming situation that one in twenty high school students uses the drugs and one in thirty adults is an addict of the same. In some cases, people have suffered permanent kidney damage after usage.
Despite officials' best efforts to curb the distribution by making over 40 arrests last year the supply chain boasts of a huge national footprint. Drug Enforcement Agency officials recognize that it may be impossible to eradicate these drug cartels in totality but they are looking to curb the demand making suppliers to go out of business.
A DEA agent even said that this situation is like a garden, where the weed grows back and the gardener's job is never complete.
