Think the designer drug craze plagues young people only? Think again. The Navy has gotten tough on sailors who have also quickly caught up with the trend.
Keeping Up With the Trends
Designer drugs — like bath salts, K2, and Spice — are synthetic substances created in chemical labs. Unlike organic drugs like marijuana and cocaine, these substances can be mass produced and even changed to contain only legal substances, hence the term “designer.” Local and federal governments have been playing catch-up, trying to identify and ban substances as they learn of abuse, but designer drugs have, you guessed it, become very trendy. Teens across the United States regularly abuse synthetic drugs like K2 or Spice, many of them unaware of the dangers. Some designer drugs are still legal in many areas, making these substances appear less harmful and more welcoming to young people.
Sailors & Synthetics
The U.S. Navy has recently confirmed that they have disciplined 1,515 sailors in the last year because of designer drug abuse. “Currently, we are discharging a number of Sailors for use of synthetic chemical compounds also known as Spice, sighting failure to obey a direct order,” said Lanorfeia Holder, deputy director of Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (NADAP). “Those that are tested by our Armed Forces Medical Examiner System (AFMES) are discharged under an Article 92 misconduct or an Article 112A which is drug abuse.” (1)
It’s Like Russian Roulette
Part of the danger with these drugs is that users never know what substances they contain. Because manufacturers are constantly altering the contents to avoid getting caught, they may come up with something even more potent. Users have suffered from lasting side effects, such as paranoia, seizures, agitation and increased heart rate. “We have Sailors who are having mental conditions that they will never recover from,” said Holder. “Using synthetic chemical compounds is like playing Russian roulette; you never know what is in the package. As detection catches up with manufacturers, makers alter the ingredients in an attempt to avoid detection.” (1)
There is help for people caught in any kind of drug abuse — even designer drug addiction. The military has set up and is encouraging the use of confidential counseling for any member abusing drugs. “If a Sailor is having issues with drug abuse or synthetic chemical compound use specifically, we recommend that they reach out to Military-One Source for confidential assessment and counseling at no cost to the Sailor,” said Holder. “We also recommend members seeking substance use counseling talk with their doctor, chain-of-command or self-refer to a substance abuse rehabilitation program.” (1)
Sources
(1) Navy Maintains Crackdown on Synthetic Chemical Compound Use