Synthetic drugs catching the attention of high ranking Texas officials. The number of calls to the poison control skyrocketing over the past year. Senora Scott is in our data center and joins us with details.
Synthetic drugs, K2, designer drugs, spice; they go by many names but no matter what they're called - usage of the drugs is a growing problem in Texas. So much so Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has taken notice.
One of Paxton’s newest initiatives, researching how much of an issue synthetic drug usage is in Texas and giving free resources to help curb the problem. One of their main findings - the majority of users are 12 years old to 20 years old. This younger age bracket thinks because the drugs are "fake marijuana" it will be less likely to hurt them. That's not true. According to medical records - users had suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, seizures, and have even died after using the drug just once.
Another problem, these drugs can be purchased in novelty shops, on the internet, even convenience stores. And if you still don't believe it's a problem, including in the Concho Valley, the numbers speak for themselves.
"For Texans, this is a serious health risk to all of the citizens in Texas. The numbers are not lying. The danger of these synthetic or designer drugs is very serious,” Officer Tracy Gonzalez with SAPD said.
For more information: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/synthetics?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=