Synthetic drugs are the cause of an alarming new trend responsible for growing numbers of injuries and deaths throughout the nation. With the tragic toll from synthetic drug abuse on the rise in Illinois, Attorney General Madigan recently convened an Emergency Summit on Synthetic Drugs in Springfield, Illinois, to raise awareness and strategize ways to combat this growing epidemic and protect Illinois communities. Experts from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, and Illinois Poison Control Center presented information to a large group of attendees including law enforcement, prosecutors, medical personnel, and educators.
Emergency Summit on Synthetic Drugs Information and Resources 
Legal Notice: Illegal Drugs Marketed as “Incense,” “Potpourri” and “Bath Salts”
Synthetic Drugs: What You Need to Know
What Are Synthetic Drugs?
Synthetic drugs are chemically laced substances akin to marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine that are sold over the counter at convenience stores, gas stations and tobacco shops throughout Illinois.
Based on their chemical make-up, these drugs are commonly divided into two categories:
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Cannabinoids
Popularly known as K2 or Spice, cannabinoids contain chemical compounds designed to mimic the effects of THC.
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Cathinones
Often known as “bath salts,” cathinones contain chemical compounds to mimic the effects of cocaine or meth.
Though the drugs’ packaging states the products are not intended for human consumption, their design, labeling and marketing clearly allude to the product being smoked and inhaled.
Why Are They So Dangerous?
One reason that synthetic drugs are extremely dangerous is that buyers don’t know what chemicals they are ingesting. Individual products can contain a vast range of different chemical formulations and potencies, some of which can be two to 500 times stronger than THC.
How Common Is Synthetic Drug Abuse?
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, calls nationwide indicate a dramatic rise in synthetic drug abuse. In 2010, poison control centers received 302 calls about bath salts. In 2011, centers received more than 5,600 reports of bath salt abuse. Synthetic marijuana use is also on the rise. In 2010, there were more than 2,900 calls from around the country to poison control centers, and in 2011, there were more than 5,700.
Why Aren’t These Drugs Illegal?
Though states, including Illinois, have implemented bans on specific formulas of synthetic marijuana and bath salts, drug makers can easily sidestep these regulations. Manufacturers adapt simply by replacing the strain of a banned synthetic cannabinoid or cathinone with a newer version that is not yet on the market and not yet known to authorities. This modification process poses further risk to its young users, who are unaware of the risks and reactions new chemicals may cause.
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