Big Featured Discussions | May 03, 2011 | 17 comments

Is a crackdown on medical marijuana creating a market for dangerous synthetics?

Both Montana and Washington have introduced new legislation that could increase regulations on medical marijuana. Sixty additional Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries have been ordered to shut down, and major seizures have been reported in Illinois, Arizona, and Texas in April.

Vanguard correspondent Adam Yamaguchi investigated the influence of marijuana trafficking and sales to and within the United States in 2010’s “Marijuana Wars.” 

But it’s not old-fashioned weed that’s got police officials and hospitals on alert. Instead, it’s the increasing presence of a new, synthetic version of marijuana with effects closer to cocaine or heroin that’s been linked to more than 1,400 emergency calls within the first three months of 2011 alone.

From The Associated Press:

"These products are in an unregulated, unlicensed industry," Boggs said. "No one knows the strength of the ingredients. You don't know what you're taking."

In addition to the DEA's recently adopted ban, a federal law allows for prosecution of "analogue" drugs that mimic the effects of illegal substances.

But authorities acknowledge the challenge of stopping the drugs' spread. DEA experts are evaluating as many as 50 new synthetics.

"The possibilities are endless," Boggs said. "There's probably hundreds of formulations out there."

Is a crackdown on medical marijuana opening up a market for more dangerous synthetic pot?

  1. groups:
    Community,   Music,   Tech,   Green,   6 more
  2. tags:
  3.     
    |

17 comments // Is a crackdown on medical marijuana creating a market for dangerous synthetics?

  • ethelfreda
  • samthesixth
  • 14_Crusaders
    • 0
      14_Crusaders  

    • If America were to legalize Marijuana, the US wouldn't be broke. But it'll never be because it's job security for those law enforcement officers.If it would be legal they ( Law Enforcement) would have less job's available and less pay...That's what the problem is..

    • 12 months ago
  • Sinsinamon
  • Dailydummie1
    • 0
      Dailydummie1  

    • The arguments for why marijuana should be legal, not just for medical use, but personal and industrial use is, at this point not even worth having. The powers against will site false studies, make false statements, all the while never having smoked a joint themselves. They label anyone who smokes a loser, pothead, because it serves their fascist agenda. But we know better. Some of the people that I have smoked with in my life include a former chief executive of Wells Fargo, a well known Indy Car driver, An NFL coach, and many other prominent societal figures, all of whom are very intelligent, accomplished, and articulate people. All the studies in the world will never compare with my personal 20 year study that I conduct with unparallelled consistency. The benefits for the economy are obvious, but besides that, legalize or don't, I really don't give a shit. I'm gonna go smoke a bowl now.

    • 12 months ago
  • rlf5659
    • +2
      rlf5659  

    • This is what I do not understand. Politicians want to "jump start" manufacturing in this country. I have one word for them. Hemp. We would put people to work growing it, processing it into products and then selling those products. The product line is pretty much endless. Instead...we import those products. This just seems like a no-brainer imho. For the record, I prefer a toke over a cocktail any day.

    • 12 months ago
  • TeamPooka
    • +1
      TeamPooka  

    • Prohibition is a failed public policy.
      Again.
      Legalizing cannabis converts a black market money pool controlled by cartels into jobs and tax revenue that benefit all citizens.

    • 12 months ago
  • EmileZ
    • 0
      EmileZ [removed]  

    • Are you kidding??? Yes!!!

      The crackdown is all about pharmacuetical companies synthesizing THC and hoping to make enormous profits.

      If it becomes easier to get ones desperate hands on synthetics (dangerous or not) than the real deal, it will be entirely due to this shift in policy.

    • 12 months ago
  • Eddy_LaBarr1
    • +1
      Eddy_LaBarr1  

    • The fed should repeal Marijuana Prohibition and replace it with a $100 per ounce Import Tax and allow the generation of revenue for these dying states. The DEA should should be disbanded or reformed. A new leader should be put in charge and restructure their organization, give them new direction and focus; assemble every DEA agent in the world on the Bonneville Salt flats and issue them black uniforms and jack boots. There they would goose-step in huge letters: D.E.A. all day - in blocks a mile square and three miles tall - seen from the moon - filmed from the space shuttle with helicopters streaking across in formation one way and tankers filled with paraquat streaking across the other way, B-52s' armed with H Bombs in the air -renovating the DEA with a new recruiting drive and ad campaign.

    • 12 months ago
  • Alanb4130
    • 0
      Alanb4130  

    • I would like to know who is behind this waste of tax payer dollars when states allow it and someone with an agenda is against it. We have a serious problem in this country with abuse of power and a serious lack of funds . I think the names behind this need to be publicly disclosed so they can answer for their ridiculous behavior. Everyone knows that legalizing pot and taxing it will turn around the war on drugs and it will help to decrease our prison population which is another huge problem we face in this country.

    • 12 months ago
  • JLaughbon
    • +2
      JLaughbon  
    • Alanb4130:

      Since the prison system is privatized now, the 'powers that be' love the fact that they are overcrowded. It just means more money for them. They really don't care why people are in prison, just as long as there are people in prison.

    • 12 months ago
  • bailey78
    • +2
      bailey78  

    • Well seeing as they outlawed the synthetics in Texas. I will do my part to see that I have the real deal. ...........Say my life is in a sewer
      I'd say I'm a connoisseur
      Sometimes I can be picky
      While searching for the sticky
      But when the day is done and my blunt is rolled
      I'll be a happy man, especially if you match a bowl

    • 12 months ago
  • JLaughbon
    • 0
      JLaughbon  

    • Actually, there are 765 different combinations that the THC molecule can be altered and if they did their homework, they could criminalize them all. However, would it not be easier and safer to just legalized the one?

      I could sit here for a month and list the benefits verses the drawbacks. I could go through the list of the reasons that led to marijuana being made illegal, but anyone that knows anything about this top already knows that it was an economic reason, not a health reason. I could also list all the other 'legal' substances that kill thousands every year, but again, everyone is already aware of those statistics too.

      Once again, this is a power grab. A show of force. An exercise in domination of the population. Taking drugs are a personal choice. If I want to be wasted in my own home, that's my choice. If I want to be trashed and sit on my couch and watch old reruns of 3's Company, that's my choice.

      And lastly, you don't hear of someone getting stoned and beating their kids or robbing a neighbor. We need to get our heads on straight and be rational.

    • 12 months ago
  • ninetyseven
  • alexandrek
  • JLaughbon
  • bailey78
VANGUARD
more from Big Featured Discussions:
from the community

top videos