The top official with the Idaho Board of Pharmacy (BOP) confirms that he is working with the Idaho Office of Drug Policy (OPD) on finding an acceptable solution for an incense product, known as “Spice” or “K2,” that young adults are using to get high, but that no resolution has been found.
Mark Johnston, executive director for the BOP, tells IdahoReporter.com that because the problem has only come up recently, no one has concluded what should be done. ”No decisions have been made at this early stage,” says Johnston. He also says that the board doesn’t have the authority to necessarily ban substances, but that it can only develop rules in dealing with the drug, which must ultimately be accepted or rejected by the Legislature during its next session.
The incense, sprayed with synthetic cannabinoinds, is sold as a product not for human consumption. That label prevents the substance from being subject to regulations of the Food and Drug Administration, as well as some rules in Idaho. When smoked, the substance produces a marijuana-like high, but it can also come with hazardous side effects, including nausea, vomiting, increased agitation, elevated blood pressure, seizures, and loss of consciousness. There have been no reported deaths in Idaho as a result of use of Spice. A mother in Indiana died after reportedly smoking the product.
Johnston explains that the board may decide what action to take on Spice at its next meeting in October. He also said that board members are still in fact-finding mode about the makeup of the incense. ”We are still gathering information, such as what substances are in Spice,” said Johnston.
Caitlyn Zak, aide with ODP, explained at a meeting in August that Spice is gaining popularity because it cannot be detected by typical drug tests and that it can be produced easily at home, which, she said, can be very dangerous for the user of the drug. Some producers went so far as to dunk incense in nail polish remover to obtain similar results. And though the label says the incense isn’t for human use, Zak says people buy Spice for a specific reason. “It’s being advertised as the new legal marijuana,” Zak said. “They know what its purpose is.”
If the BOP finds some way to regulate the drug and then take that rule to the Idaho Legislature, results could be mixed. Rep. Darrell Bolz, R-Caldwell, believes that lawmakers should take up the issue in order to protect children. Another Canyon County legislator, Sen. Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston, says individuals should be responsible for the substance they put in their own bodies and that government doesn’t need to get involved.
