Laws change to reflect changes in times and society norms. A new trend in regards to drugs in New Jerseyand the U.S. is synthetic drugs. You may have heard of bath salts and synthetic marijuana. The fake marijuana has gone by various names such as "Spice," "K2" and more.
Effective Monday, New Jersey has a new label for the synthetic substance: permanently illegal. A temporary ban was placed on the controversial substance earlier this year in an effort to curb the sales and use of the product. That ban is here to stay.
Just a couple of years ago, synthetic marijuana was being legally sold as incense in stores throughout New Jersey and other areas in the country. Since the product technically is not marijuana, it wasn't on the list of controlled substances.
But safety officials and authorities caught on to the trend because users of the drug were getting sick. The danger behind the synthetic product as well as the similar effects it has on users as those who use marijuana motivated legislation against the products at the federal and state levels.
The permanent ban against synthetic marijuana affects stores that would sell such a product and potential users of the product. When parents have the drug talk with their teens, they should be particularly clear about synthetic drugs.
The fake pot has been popular among teens because they could get their hands on it. They need to know the health and legal risks of using the substance or they could find themselves facing drug charges in New Jersey, charges that would be no less severe just because they weren't using the "real thing."
Source: Tri-Boro Patch, "Synthetic Pot Ban Could Decrease Local Arrests," Ariana Cohn-Sheehan, Nov. 27, 2012