Consumer Health Features
Parents need to step up, says addiction expert on synthetic K2 Pot problem
By April MacIntyre Mar 21, 2012, 1:14 GMT
But a local addiction expert had a different take on the growing trend, and blames the lack of observation and involvement with parents and teens that would allow this kind of reckless behavior to begin with.
Synthetic Marijuana (K2) is sending kids to the hospital and confounding their doctors on how this substance is gaining in popularity.
Reuters Health [via Pediatrics] reports that "Three U.S. teenagers ended up in the emergency department with altered mental states and seriously elevated heart rates after smoking synthetic marijuana..."
The culprit that did this was K2, one of the many names for synthetic marijuana.
Despite a ban in the U.S. and the Drug Enforcement Administration wishes to classify them permanently as schedule 1 controlled substances -- a category that includes heroin and natural marijuana.
According to the report, the synthetic versions are blends of herbs and spices laced with cannabis-like chemicals, and are sold under a variety of names, including Spice, K2 and Red X Dawn. They also may include other unknown added ingredients.
"Because it's unregulated we don't know exactly what's in it," said Dr. Joanna Cohen, one of the authors of the new report, which was published March 19 in the journal Pediatrics.
Another problem for doctors is that the K2 fake pot usually delivers a negative drug screen and not detectable on standard drug tests.
The report cites alarming numbers, as poison control centers across the country have received 4,500 calls involving the products since 2010.
But a local addiction expert had a different take on the growing trend, and blames the lack of observation and involvement with parents and teens that would allow this kind of reckless behavior to begin with.
He blames a lack of awareness and communication between a parent and teen as the source problem, whether the substance is legal or not.
"Not all people have the capacity to be good parents," says Richard Taite, CEO and founder of Cliffside_Malibu residential rehabilitation facility. "When parents are absentee landlords, kids become prone to substance abuse and can become substance dependent."
Taite is a long recovered addict who used a combination of integrated therapies that Cliffside Malibu currently employs at their stunning seaside facility, in a personalized treatment program that boasts a guarantee. He is also a new father.
"Not everybody needs to have children. Abuse, whether it's marijuana, pills, fake pot or speed is irrelevant. If you aren't evolved enough emotionally, and cannot take an interest in your child's life, then you really never had any business having them. The real problem with K2 is the unknown, the chemicals and garbage they treat the herbs with that may have long term health effects. Can't parents just pay attention to their kids?"
