Dear Readers,

As of Dec. 24, 2010, it is illegal for anyone to possess or sell synthetic marijuana, also known as “spice.” The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced Nov. 24, 2010, that it would be adding spice to its list of controlled substances, banning the drug for at least one year, during which time the DEA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would study whether the substance should be permanently banned.

Drug Czar Gill Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, voiced his support for the move to ban synthetic marijuana.

 “I commend the DEA for using their emergency scheduling authority to protect public health, by keeping these substances away from young people,” Kerlikowske said. “Until the risks associated with ingesting these products can be studied and understood, there is no place for them on shelves of any legitimate business.”

At least 15 states and several European countries have already banned spice, which is marketed under a variety of brands, including “Spice,” “K2,” “Blaze” and “Red X Dawn.” Street names include Bliss, Black Mamba, Bombay Blue, Fake Weed, Genie and Zohai. The substance – usually sold in head shops, convenience stores and over the Internet – is packaged to look like incense. However, the herbs are sprayed with chemicals that react in the body much like THC, the chemical component in marijuana.

According to the DEA and poison control experts, the ingredients in spice are even more potent than what is found in most marijuana, and reports that some users have experienced seizures, unconsciousness and suicide. The use of these substances has prompted several emergency room visits and calls to poison control centers, the DEA said. Additionally, concerns have been raised over the potential long-term effects of this substance, which are as yet unknown, since spice has not really been studied and little is known about the actual chemical compounds it contains.