Skip to main content

Synthetic Marijuana Popular Among Nation's Youth

In December MMC blogged about the rise of synthetic marijuana known as "K-2" or "Spice" among the nation's youth. The synthetic marijuana is a mixture of common herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals that mirror the high of marijuana.  Smoking the synthetic marijuana does not result in a positive drug test.  A recent report out of Iowa sheds more light on the dangers of "K2" and how little the public still knows about the substance. 18 year old David Rozga had apparently been smoking the synthetic marijuana prior to his own suicide. David's father believes that K2 led to his son’s death. Indianola police chief, Steve Bonnett, had commented on the incident by saying, "David had a severe panic attack after smoking K2, which resulted in his death.”

The synthetic product is sold as incense in head shops, tobacco stores, gas stations, malls and convenient stores. So far, twelve states have banned the sale of Synthetic Marijuana - (Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky). The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that within the past year there have been over 500 cases of negative reactions to the still legal yet dangerous drug.

Jay Schauben, Director of the Florida Poison Control Center says, "It’s a danger to anybody who thinks this is a legal way to get high without being caught.” Schauben added, “The possible side effects include significant hallucination, cardiac effects, seizures, rapid heart rate, hypertension, severe agitation, passing out, and panic attacks.”

On the national level the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently designated certain chemicals that are present within Synthetic Marijuana to the same drug category that heroin and LSD are part of and further emphasizes the need to be able to test blood and urine for Synthetic Marijuana use.

Pittsburgh based Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) with offices nationwide, offers a vast array of compatible screening solutions designed to meet any Drug Free Workplace initiative nationwide. MMC's certified collection technicians all pass a rigorous DATIA training course. MMC partners with the largest accredited laboratories in the nation which allows us to truly be involved from start to finish on every drug test we perform for our clients. All of Mobile Medical Corporation's laboratory partners are certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to meet all strict government requirements.
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

PHOTOS: MMC Through the Years

Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) is excited to be celebrating our 30th Anniversary in 2020! MMC was founded on June 21, 1990. Check out some photos as we have grown over the years!            
Read more

Random Drug Testing Benefits Employers

Drug testing programs aim to prevent the hiring of drug-using applicants while deterring drug use among current employees. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 21.4 percent of employed adults used illicit drugs within the past month. Results from the 2014 Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) show that, in the general U.S. workforce, random urine drug test positivity rates are higher (5.7 percent) than they are for pre-employment (4.0 percent) or periodic (1.6 percent). Random or “spot” drug testing works as a drug use deterrent because these programs are conducted in an unannounced and unpredictable manner. Utilizing a random drug testing program may help employers by: Deterring current employees from engaging in drug use Preventing the need for substance abuse recovery programs Helping reduce health insurance costs Improving attendance and employee productivity Providing a safer workplace with reduced accidents However, set...
Read more

March is National Nutrition Month

National Nutritional Month is celebrated during March. The focus of Nutrition Month is to encourage people to make better food choices and develop better habits. Good nutrition can help reduce risk of illness, increase energy levels, and more. Below are a few tips to get started with good nutrition. 1) Pre-pack your meals and snacks. This gives you healthy options when you get to work 2) Cook and eat at home when possible. This will give you control over preparation and cooking methods. 3) Drink Water. Water is the best way to quench thirst. 4) Eat more fruits and vegetables. The phrase "eat the rainbow" is one to live by. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with vitamins and minerals and most are low in calories. 5) Be aware of the different types of fats. Eat foods with healthy fats like fish and nuts. Limit foods with high saturated fats. Avoid foods with trans fat. 6) Combine good nutrition choices with moderate exercise. When it comes to occupational h...
Read more