Legal Drugs of Addiction: How to Stop Them from Destroying Your Life
There are a number of substances that can alter your perception and get you high that are perfectly legal and not yet regulated by the FDA. Bath salts, salvia, spice and a wide range of synthetic cannabinoids are just a few of the most recently discovered drugs that are easily found in head shops or online. Because they are so new, few people know much about their effects, including how much is too much, or the dangers connected to their use or what happens when they are mixed with other drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, a lack of regulation and control in addition to a lack of education among law enforcement officials, parents, and teachers means that addiction to these legal substances is becoming all too common and overdose patients or victims of accidents caused by the drugs are showing up more and more in emergency rooms across the United States.
What are These Legal Drugs and Who is Using Them?
Every year, regulatory agencies release lists of “new” drugs that have been developed in underground laboratories that they have come across at accident scenes or when busting people under the influence. This year’s crop of new, still-legal substances includes salvia, bath salts, and spice. There are a number of synthetic versions of each, making it more and more difficult for law enforcement officials to keep up with their study and regulation.
Europe was the first to see the widespread abuse of these substances as teens and young adults frequently landed themselves in the emergency room or in the morgue after a night of overindulgence. Soon, American teens picked up on the new trend and, slowly, these drugs have become a larger and larger issue here in the United States as a result. So far, those between the ages of 15 and 25 are the largest demographic to take interest in these substances.
Fighting Legal Drugs of Addiction
Drug addiction has never been successfully fought and won in the court room, so the fact that these drugs are legal and easily accessible isn’t necessarily the worrisome issue. The lack of education on the existence and effect of the drugs is by far more concerning, because those who are abusing the drug in droves are much younger, more impetuous by nature, and more likely to take too much or mix these substances with other drugs of abuse, including alcohol. The best way to fight these drugs is for parents to gain awareness of the risks and dangers and to identify abuse of the drugs in their teens early on, getting treatment for them as soon as possible – earlier treatment always has higher rates of success and can help your loved one avoid a deadly accident or overdose.
If someone you care about is abusing any drug of addiction, contact us at Michael’s House today. We can help.
