Nov. 2010: DEA Steps In To Outlaw Chemicals Found In “Fake Pot”

They’re legal products that are sometimes used for illegal purposes. Some herbal incenses, known as “fake pot” to those who misuse them, are the target of a ban just announced by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The DEA says certain incense manufacturers spray harmful chemicals onto their products. The DEA is making the sale, use and posession of those chemicals illegal. They’ve temporarily classified five chemicals as Schedule I substances– described as substances that are unsafe and highly abused.

According to the DEA’s media release, some legal incense brands such as “Spice,” “K2,” “Blaze,” and “Red X Dawn” to name a few, are “coated with research chemicals that mimic THC”.

THC is the active ingredient in marijuana, which produces a euphoric high when ingested.

“(These chemicals) are exactly like marijuana” said Dr. Mahesh Narayan, a chemistry professor at UTEP. “What they do is cross the blood brain barrier, and then they tickle certain parts of the brain and give you a sense of pleasure.”

ABC-7 spoke to a man who had bought an herbal incense product in El Paso like the ones alleged to contain these chemicals back in August. The smoker, whose identity we’ve withheld, said smoking the substance gave him “about the same euphoric feeling as marijuana”.

But Dr. Narayan warns there are negative consequences, too. “You end up having increased heart rates because it creates a cascade of chemical events. Some cannabinoids have been associated with cancers. One starts needing more of the drug to have the same effect.”

The DEA’s ban of the chemicals takes effect in about 30 days. The chemicals will be considered controlled substances for at least a year while researchers evaluate those chemiucals to determine whether they should be outlawed permanently.

One Sun City shop manager who sells the incense for as little as 5 dollars tells ABC-7 he had no idea about the DEA’s upcoming chemical ban. He maintains his products are solely meant to be used as incense, but says 60-80 chemicals go into each blend. It’s not clear whether the banned chemicals are among them since the products are not regulated and do not require a complete ingredient list.

“It’s very astonishing that these kind of products exist,” said Dr. Narayan. “I think it’s a good thing that the DEA is stepping up to ban it.”