DEPARTMENT: San Antonio Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Anthony Trevino, Interim Police Chief
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Briefing on the San Antonio Police Department's (SAPD) Efforts to Address the Use of Synthetic Marijuana
SUMMARY:
This memo is to brief Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Services Committee on the Police Department's research and planning efforts to address issues associated with the use and availability of synthetic marijuana products in the San Antonio area.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Synthetic marijuana products first entered the national markets in 2006 as an alternative to traditional marijuana. These products were designed to mimic the effects of marijuana without the use of THC, the active ingredient found in all traditional marijuana products.
Manufacturers substitute several other chemical compounds to otherwise harmless dried leafy materials and marketed the products under such names as "Spice, Spice Gold and K2". These products are sold online and in head shops, as well as some tobacco and convenience stores across the country. The main allure of theses products are that they provide similar effects as marijuana, and in many forms are not illegal to possess. Additionally, the use of such products will not appear in urine analysis testing. Publicly, these products are offered as incense and labeled "not for human consumption."
Cities across Texas have reported incidents where people who have consumed synthetic marijuana have suffered medical complications and become combative and violent. K2 has historically been known to make users violent and cause seizures. Dr. James E'tienne, an emergency physician at Baylor University Medical Center, told Dallas media outlet WFAA-TV, "Several... patients came in with similar symptoms of psychosis, altered mental status, abnormal behavior-ranged from very sedated to an agitated state." The Dallas Police Department has reported th...
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