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Not so long ago, the use of synthetic marijuana was a growing trend in America. Now fake cocaine is growing more popular and is becoming a legal substitute for a high. KSMU’s Adam Hammons has more.
The so-called “fake cocaine” is a chemical drug that mimics the effects of cocaine when ingested in any way like its namesake drug. The new chemical is legal and is commonly sold as a bath salt in stores.
The Associated Press reports that the Missouri Poison Center at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis has received 12 calls about teenagers abusing the chemicals already in 2011. The center had eight calls about fake cocaine all of last year.
Darrel Williams is a substance abuse specialist. He says drugs like MDPV, a stimulant, are put into the bath salt to mimic cocaine. In small doses it has the effect of an ADD medication such as Ritalin. In higher doses it gives the effects of cocaine. However, Williams says much is not known about the drug.
“It’s one of those things we wait until somebody gets hurt, injured or dies from overdosing with this drug before we start to research it.”
Some brand names for the fake cocaine are “Ivory Snow,” “Bliss,” and “Vanilla Sky.” A lot of labels will say it is not to be used for human consumption.
Matt Brown is a spokesperson for the Springfield Police Department. He says that even though it is legal, what a person does while on it is not.
“It’s no different than taking a legal medication and you’ve taken too much and you react differently or you do something that’s outside of the norm. It doesn’t make any difference that it was legal.”
Brown says he has not seen it as a big problem in Springfield. He says many businesses are shying away from selling it.
“A lot of people don’t see it as a product that mimics cocaine or methamphetamine, they see it as it’s just cocaine, it’s just a different name for it. And I’m not sure a lot of business owners want that tagged to their business.”
As of now these fake cocaine products are legal, but Brown says he is certain they will not be in the future.
“What’s the difference between that and real cocaine? Nothing. So if one is illegal why wouldn’t the other be? So it’s just a matter of time.”
For KSMU News, I’m Adam Hammons.