Bennett said synthetic marijuana awareness is the best choice to control it. Synthetic marijuana manufacturers must constantly switch affiliations to circumvent the law. Therefore, it is impossible to say how strong the connection of the respective product will be. Due to this ever-changing compound, the substance is likely to have different effects during several applications. However, they are still considered a controlled substance if they are manufactured with the intention of human consumption and have a similar effect on the body to more traditional medicines. This means that if you are convicted of possessing a designer or a synthetic drug, you will face the same penalty as any other controlled substance in a similar category. Clarification: In an earlier version of this story, it was clearly stated that the hemp derivative delta-8 is legal when its status is actually disputed. The story has been updated to include more details and comments from the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. The legal status of Delta-8 is obscure and confusing at best, with differing opinions on whether federal law allows the legal sale and use of Delta-8. Throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there has been an increase in violent drug-related crimes involving synthetic marijuana. This prompted the county and other municipalities to issue injunctions to local merchants banning the sale of certain synthetic drugs, such as bath salts, synthetic marijuana and salvia divinorum, a herbal mixture with hallucinogenic effects.
In 2017, 158 K2 overdoses were reported in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in just one week. In May 2018, the city again experienced an increase in reported K2 overdoses. In previous months, the number of reported K2 overdoses has remained extremely high, sometimes exceeding the number of opioid overdoses reported in the Region. We will study the use of K2 and bath salts in our area and how law enforcement is working to reduce the spread of synthetic drugs. Prior to the legal ban on synthetic substances, these synthetic drugs were readily available and were sold legally by vendors in local tobacco stores and convenience stores. Since users had not previously been punished for possession, the use of synthetic drugs appeared acceptable. Pennsylvania`s new law banning synthetic drugs has changed the climate for sellers and users, creating consequences for those who choose to continue selling or using synthetic substances after the law goes into effect. A bill that would ban K2 and other strains of so-called synthetic marijuana in Pennsylvania passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by a vote of 198 to 1. Ironically, illegally sold marijuana may be safer to use than unregulated delta-8 products, which can be purchased without legal consequences, according to Vrabel. Some of the cannabis sold illegally in Pennsylvania is purchased in states where it is legal, she said, meaning it is subject to regulations and testing that delta-8 products are not.
Synthetic or synthetic drugs have become increasingly popular in recent years. They can be made with readily available over-the-counter products and can be difficult to detect with routine drug testing equipment. The synthetic cannabinoids found in herbal incense are said to be four to five times more potent than THC, the psychoactive substance in cannabis. Are you facing charges of possession of synthetic marijuana in Lebanon County or Berks County, Pennsylvania? Do you know what the consequences you might face if you are convicted? Are you aware of the very serious impact that a drug charge will have on your financial, personal and professional life? A drug charge is incredibly serious and should be treated as such. To get through this, you will need the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney to care for the accused in Lebanon or Reading, Pennsylvania. Under Pennsylvania law, delta-8 – whether synthetically produced or extracted from hemp – is a Schedule 1 controlled substance under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Although all synthetic marijuana strains are now illegal under Pennsylvania law, the history of K2`s accessibility, coupled with its low price, leads many to believe that the product is legal and safe. Some men and women choose to use synthetic marijuana as an alternative to organic marijuana to get tested for drugs. Some turn to synthetic drugs when their drug of choice is not available. “By establishing clear guidelines for the use and use of synthetic marijuana, we are empowering our law enforcement agencies to stop the spread of this new threat to our children and communities,” Mann said.
In addition to being legal in most states, the active ingredient in frankincense is at least four times more potent than THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana. Berks County District Attorney John Adams recently purchased a random selection of vapes and gummies containing delta-8 and delta-10 — another form of THC that can be derived from hemp — and sent them to Pennsylvania State Police for investigation. The lab found that each product tested contained illegal levels of delta-9. The potency and unpredictability of synthetic marijuana make the drug particularly dangerous. K2 can make some users violent, suicidal and angry; other users have reported repeated vomiting and increased heart rate; Many experience extreme anxiety and paranoia. The Lancaster Police Department responded to several emergency calls that left synthetic marijuana users in a catatonic state. Sold as herbal incense under names like K2, Spice, Genie and Wicked, a synthetic marijuana has legions of smokers across the country rolling it or putting it in their pipes. Local, state and federal police have made concerted efforts to target the spread of synthetic drugs at the source. In March 2018, three shipments of synthetic drugs were seized in Chicago. The packages, which contained both K2 and bath salts, were shipped from China to Allegheny County.
Law enforcement agencies across the state have made the elimination of synthetic drugs a high priority. On Friday, Rep. Jennifer L. Mann, D-Lehigh, introduced a bill to ban the sale or use of synthetic marijuana in Pennsylvania. The synthetic marijuana user is often not like the typical organic marijuana high because K2 is much stronger than any marijuana strain a person might find on the street. The cannabinoid compound can be up to 800 times stronger than organic marijuana. A law banning the sale and use of many synthetic drugs that are popular today was recently enacted in Pennsylvania. These new laws came into force in 2013.
Supporters of the law claim it can save lives by restricting access to these readily available synthetic drugs. The law, which came into force 60 days after it was signed in 2013, lists the types of synthetic drugs that are prohibited and outlines penalties for the supply or intent to deliver and possession of these substances. Mere possession of a synthetic or synthetic drug is an offence. It has a maximum penalty of: Chemists who produce medical or recreational marijuana in states where it has been legalized test their products to ensure reactions go as intended and extract any remaining solvents. If you are arrested or charged with a drug-related crime, including new delivery offenses, intent to provide or possess synthetic drugs, you immediately need a Pennsylvania drug crime defense attorney in your corner. A criminal defense attorney in Reading, Pennsylvania, who has experience defending drug crimes, can help you better navigate the criminal justice system and dismiss or reduce your charges and associated sentences. In 2018, Congress inadvertently sanctioned the sale of Delta-8 when it passed a federal farm bill to legalize hemp production. Since then, it has been widely used in edibles, vape pens, oils and foods sold in head stores, gas stations and online. Bath salts consist of compounds that can legally be purchased separately, but are not fit for human consumption. The synthetic cathinones in the substance are intended to mimic the effects of cocaine and methamphetamines.
Manufacturers of substances such as K2 and bath salts were once able to maintain the legality of their products by constantly changing their chemical composition.