Smart Colorado | July 17, 2017
Synthetics
Synthetic drugs, also referred to as designer drugs or club drugs, mimic the effects of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, LSD, opium, and ecstasy. They are often marketed as “legal highs” and are available over-the-counter at smoke shops and many convenience stores.
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Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication intended for someone else or when someone uses a medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor - like getting high. The most frequently abused prescriptions drugs are opioids, depressants and stimulants.
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Common Synthetics & Their Effects
Synthetic marijuana that mimics actual marijuana (K2 or Spice) are herbal mixtures sprayed with chemicals that produce effects similar to marijuana and falsely marketed as "safe," legal alternatives to actual pot. Potency can by 100 times that of marijuana. The dangerous effects are elevated blood pressure and heart rate, hallucinations, heart palpitations, increased agitation, seizures, nausea and vomiting, anxiety or panic attacks, feelings of alienation, psychotic episodes, acute kidney injury and failure, and death.
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Heroin
Heroin use in the United States is increasing at alarming rates. According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heroin use increased 63% between 2002 and 2013 and heroin-related overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled over the same time period.
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Synthetics & Issues in the Workplace
Employers should know that synthetic drugs are dangerous intoxicants, the effects of which can seriously impact workplace safety and the user's job performance. Additionally, synthetic substances are generally not detected in standard workplace drug testing panels.
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