Officials Hold Synthetic Drug Work Group

Today, the Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske and Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, co-hosted a working group session at ONDCP to share information regarding the emerging threat of synthetic drugs such as K2 and promote a coordinated response. Participants included high-level officials from the Department of Health and Human Services; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Department of State; the Department of Defense; the American Association of Poison Control Centers; the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; and CADCA’s Chairman and CEO Gen. Arthur T. Dean and CADCA’s Public Policy Consultant Sue Thau.

To help parents address the threat posed by synthetic drugs, The Partnership at Drugfree.org introduced a kit for parents and adult influencers that provides the tools they need to talk with their teens about these drugs and to recognize the warning signs of use. The information kit includes a “slidecast” about synthetic drugs, a corresponding podcast and video, and a printable guide so parents can share details on what to look for, what the street names are, and what the effects of these substances are with others in their community. The information kit is available at The Partnership at Drugfree.org website and is part of a "Parents360" community education program funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.

CADCA also recently examined this issue and what is being done about it on CADCA TV’s “Designer Drugs: The New Frontier.” Hosted by CADCA’s Mary Elizabeth Elliott, Vice President of Communications, Membership, and Information Technology, this CADCA TV show features guests Gary Boggs, Special Agent, Executive Assistant, Office of Diversion Control, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Aaron Byzak, President, North Coastal Prevention Coalition, Vista, Calif., and Mark Ryan, Pharm.D., Director, Louisiana Poison Center. The broadcast is available on demand.

The chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana products, JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol, are designated as Schedule I substances, the most restrictive category under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I substances are reserved for those substances with a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use for treatment in the United States and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug under medical supervision. At least 38 states have already taken action to control one or more of these chemicals.