Last updated on January 27th, 2016 at 03:10 pm
Synthetic drugs have become more prolific in the United States over the last several years, with the drugs finding their way onto the shelves of convenience stores and tobacco shops.
States with high percentages of calls to poison centers related to synthetic drugs include New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Mississippi.
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) recently teamed up with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on a free webinar to help retailers understand the risks associated with selling synthetic drugs.
The webinar highlighted the various forms of synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids, such as Ivory Wave, Vanilla Sky, Bliss, Blue Silk, Cloud 9 and White Dove. A new popular way of consuming synthetic drugs, particularly synthetic cannabinoids, is through e-cigarette vapor.
The presenters emphasized that retailers should immediately contact law enforcement if approached by someone to sell any synthetic drug.
“Do not attempt to distinguish between legal and illegal synthetic drugs. It is safe to assume all brands and types of synthetic drugs are illegal,” explained one of the presenters.
It is illegal to possess synthetic cathinones and synthetic cannabinoids in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The risks to retailers for selling synthetic drugs encompass prison sentences and hefty fines.
