State's Attorney James Glasgow Warns Parents About Legal Drugs

To many, items like incense and bath salts are harmless. To some, they are very dangerous. These are also unregulated synthetic drugs that are legally available to the public at most gas stations and tobacco shops.

Spice, widely sold as incense, is a chemically-saturated leafy substance. The effects are significantly stronger and less understood than marijuana, according to State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow's spokesman, Chuck Pelkie.

“They are drugs that were developed by pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to mask pain,” Glasgow said.

When the pharmaceutical companies ceased researching, 162 chemical formulas laid dormant. No long-term studies were conducted on the potential affects. There was also no regulation.

A synthetic cocaine, marketed as bath salts, is much more dangerous, Glasgow said. This was sending teens to the hospital. In one instance, an area teen heated it up in a spoon and injected it, he said.

Thanks to Glasgow and State Rep. Tom Cross, (R-Oswego), all that will change come Jan. 1. The two teamed up to write legislation broad enough to close the loopholes in the law.

One of the major problems with creating legislation has been drafting language to include all 162 strains. So far, companies have been able to skirt the laws by switching up the chemical formulas on a state-by-state basis. For example, if Illinois banned one formula, a company would send that to another state, and ship a different formula here.

“They are making a mockery of our drug laws,” Glasgow said.

One company went so far as to sell the synthetic drugs in bulk, allowing each retailer to create it’s own brand.

Another reason these products have become so popular is the use of instant media. Kids spread the word under the radar on Facebook and other types of instant media. They tell their parents they are buying legal incense, and most parents don’t know the difference, Glasgow said.

“These adults are so far behind the curve with this electronic media that they have no idea what’s going on,” he said. “Trying to keep up with media, that’s a real problem for law enforcement."

Right now, a 15-year-old can walk into a tobacco shop and buy these drugs legally. Since pharmaceutical companies terminated the research, the possibility of respiratory problems, cancer or brain damage has never been examined, he said.

“Clearly, the harm to children is unknown,” Glasgow said. “The possibility is that it is much, much more harmful than marijuana.”

Keeping teens from buying these drugs legally will be a big step forward, he explained.

“Again, this stuff will be sold by drug dealers after Jan. 1,” he said. “That’s the reality of the situation.”

To learn more about what these synthetic drugs look like, where they are sold and who is buying them, read the full story here.