Ban on synthetic pot must go further

The world of synthetic drugs can be as fast-changing as that of consumer electronics.

However, it's driven not by technological advances, but by a desire to stay a step ahead of regulations in order to sell a legal high.

With variations like Sex on the Mountain and Thai Dream, herbal “incense” is, as of New Year's Day, illegal in the state of Illinois.

In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration instituted a one-year nationwide ban on five chemicals commonly used in such formulas.

These products contain ingredients that, when smoked, provide a high similar to that of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Staff Writer Josh Stockinger wrote Monday about how suburban law enforcement officials view the largely young people's drug K2 as dangerous and how legislators grapple with stopping something that is ever-changing.

Often known as “spice,” K2 had been sold legally in smoke shops and on the Internet for more than a year. Thinly marketing it as incense with the alluring scents of vanilla and cinnamon, purveyors make no claims about the psychological or physiological effects of their products. They vociferously note that any references to the drugs' effects are strictly related to the traditional use of incense and that actual consumption of incense is forbidden by the manufacturer.

Wink, wink.

Testimonials suggest there is a lot more than meets the nose.

Really, do you know what you're smoking when you buy these products? There have been no studies that evaluate their relative safety. And given the number of permutations, the consumer rarely knows what he or she is getting.

Banning these substances in Illinois is a start. But only a start.

Manufacturers have a vast array of chemicals for new formulations, and they will continue to get around regulations or bans.

So, Illinois must do more than address what's on the market now. That's already behind the curve. We've seen evidence of “legal” variations on spice already. The state needs to look at more comprehensive legislation that addresses the future of such synthetic drugs.

The known effects of the drugs are similar to those of marijuana: increased heart rate and blood pressure, paranoia and euphoria. But anecdotal evidence indicates there can be many significantly more deleterious effects.

“Like any drug bought on the black market, you don't know what you're getting, you don't know where it came from, and you don't know what's in it,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said.

Since kids are using it, extra parenting is in order. As state Rep. John Millner, a former cop, said, “Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's OK and safe.”