It’s not like we don’t have enough trouble with the illicit drugs currently on the market: heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, ecstasy and others are bad enough. A new substance has hit the market in the last year, promoted as "legal," and "providing the same high as marijuana."

A year ago, most law enforcement offices had never heard of "Spice," as this marijuana substitute was called. But as time went on, more hospitals were seeing cases of seizures and hallucinations resulting from use of the substance. And more people were turning up dependent on the drug. Still, none of the ingredients were illegal so law enforcement had no action they could take.

On November 24, 2010, the DEA announced that it was using its emergency powers to ban the five chemicals that were key to its manufacture. For one year, anyone possessing these chemicals without specific authorization will be subject to arrest. This will give U.S. government agencies time to determine Spice’s addictiveness and hazards.

“People who develop these synthetic drugs care nothing about the individuals they may harm by doing so," stated Bobby Wiggins, spokesperson for Narconon®, an international organization fighting substance abuse and addiction through drug and alcohol rehabilitation. "There’s no tests to determine potential harm to someone who uses the drug. If they can promise a high similar to something a drug user already knows about and they can also claim it’s legal, these manufacturers can really make a killing."

It’s not hard to understand the forces that drove some industrious individuals to develop this alternative to marijuana. Since 1996, the number of Americans using illicit drugs increased from 13 million to nearly 22 million in 2009. The largest drug of abuse is marijuana, with more than 16 million people using the drug every month. Any manufacturer who can put a cheap chemical substitute on the market has millions of potential users.

Spice, also known as "K2," "Blaze" and "Red X Dawn" has been sold online, in head shops and a variety of retail outlets. Sometimes the packaging identifies the contents as incense.

Unfortunately, one of the effects of this action by the DEA will be to drive this trade underground. When a family finds that one of their members, young or old, is using Spice and can’t quit on their own, they need to act immediately. By helping the drug abuser or addict find a drug recovery service right away, they could save their loved one from arrest, damage to their health or even death from a seizure or accident. At the very least, they will help their loved ones lead drug-free, productive lives again, if the rehabilitation service has been proven effective.

At Narconon centers across the U.S. and around the world, addicts find lasting recovery in seven out of ten cases. Get more information about the Narconon drug rehabilitation program by visiting http://www.youtube.com/user/narconon#p/u/0/AlkKeOO-nTo.

About Narconon: Narconon programs are unlike the typical drug or alcohol recovery program, which is exactly what makes the Narconon Program so effective. Narconon believes in a drug-free recovery which means our patients are not placed on any additional medications to assist with the recovery process. Narconon drug rehab centers also prepare students to deal with the psychological and social issues that come with drug and alcohol addiction.

About The Author:
Leland Michaels
Narconon International
4652 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90027
Business Telephone #: 1 800-775-8750
Business Email Address: info@narconon.org