Video: “Spice” Use On The Rise, Key Is To Educate The Public Of Dangers

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NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – The numbers are scary and continue to climb across the twin states and it appears there is no sign of Spice slowing down.

It’s a synthetic drug that has sent hundreds to the emergency room and is even being blamed for some deaths.

Spice is a man-made form of marijuana.

It is made from dried, plant material that causes severe physical and psychological effects.

Law enforcement say the number of users is steadily increasing and together with advocates, they hope to take Spice off the streets.
In the past month, Spice has sent more than 800 people to the emergency room in Mississippi.

The synthetic marijuana is marketed as a potpourri that’s not safe eat but users believe it’s “safe” and legal alternative to pot. However, the side effects are often toxic.

“Seizures, gastritis, paranoia, extreme paranoia, the sort of stuff you are seeing on a health and mental health kind of end,” said Clinical Coordinator at The Pines & Cady Hill Recovery Center Keenyn Wald.

Spice is used by young and old alike but is most most popular with young adults.

Users are finding Spice on the street, in stores and online.

Wald says Spice is often easy to buy.

“When it first presented itself, it wouldn’t trigger on drug tests. What we’re seeing now, is that drug tests can read it and a lot of the components of the original ingredients are now illegal. So we’re kind of in this catch up game when new products are being put in and we’re trying to make sure we can test for it,” said Wald.

Noxubee County is one of several areas seeing more Spice overdoses.

Noxubee County Sheriff Terry Grassaree says dozens of cases have been reported.

“First two weeks it was about 20, then it jumped to about 28. I would imagine we have close to 30 cases of it right now,” said Grassaree.

Many users and dealers create their own mixture, using a variety of dangerous ingredients.

“It’s a drug that whatever they have on hand, that’s what they use to put in it; wasp spray, just any kind of chemical they have at the time they can put on it that will give you that high they think you want,” said Grassaree.

Now, the people that see users struggle with the side affects want everyone to know how quickly Spice can turn deadly.

“I’m fully supportive of giving as much information we have, these are the dangers that are present. This is what it does and these are the consequences, these are scientific consequences that we can see,” added Wald.

“We’ve had groups where we went into the the schools and we discuss that you shouldn’t use it and if there is someone trying to get you to use it, you should contact your local authority,” said Grassaree.