We all know we live in a country of desperate citizens – desperate to survive the concrete jungle.
We live in times where drugs are out of control, exacerbated by the legalisation of using marijuana at home. Yet in the midst of all the mayhem and chaos, you try to hold onto hope that things will change.
In Pretoria, they gathered for the ‘It’s Time prayer meeting’, as they did in Bloemfontein. Now, so many expect the tide to turn from darkness to light.
Unfortunately, for now, the reality is that South Africa is in a crisis. The situation seems to be worsening.
Unemployment is rampant, and the youth face an increasingly uncertain future.
Do not be surprised to see more youth getting hooked on substance abuse just to escape the reality of our turbulent times.
Of late, social media have been abuzz with videos of children in Pretoria West who were apparently using a synthetic drug.
In reaction, the authorities have revealed that 13 people who purchased and smoked the marijuana-like substance were hospitalised after complaining of being sick.
Since the videos emerged, there have been all kinds of questions about this drug. Some say it is Herbal Blend and others say nonsense, it is Spice/K2.
Around this time last year, video images of people using another synthetic drug called Flakka surfaced on social media. This was dubbed a zombie drug, and for this reason, many were concerned about children using the drug.
At the time there was uncertainty over Flakka, which is also sometimes referred to as ‘bath salts’, and is a novel psychoactive substance.
It can lead to numerous side effects, including rising body temperatures‚ a heightened state of awareness and a lack of sleep.
The jury is still out as to what the Herbal Blend is all about. Apparently, the police have taken this concoction for laboratory testing.
Whatever the findings, we face the scary reality in line with Halloween’s nightmares that more drugs such as Flakka could be coming onto the market.
The argument goes that since drugs are illegal and unregulated‚ there is a global evidence that more and more synthetic drugs are being created. Just as scary, is that it appears synthetic drugs go straight from labs to humans.
What ‘treat’ one gets out of using such drugs one will not know, but it seems many are being tricked into thinking it is safe.
Since the emergence of the videos, be it Flakka or Herbal Spice, or Crazy Coconut, the warning remains that extreme caution should be exercised in taking untested drugs.
In March, Boksburg’s senior prosecutor, Henk Strydom, warned that synthetic drugs sold under the names such as Black Bull, Ubsuku Bonke, Wiz, Herbal Blend and Spice, can land you in jail.
“There is a misconception that these substances are legal and, therefore, not prohibited or controlled by law. But this is not true. These products are in contravention of the Medicine and Related Substances Act,” said Strydom.
Strydom said these products are mostly sold at adult shops and can also be found at garage shops, openly on display and for sale.
He said the SAPS’ forensic science laboratory recently tested nine sachets of these synthetic drugs, and the analyses determined that all of these products contain Schedule 4 or Schedule 7 substances listed in the Act, or were homologues of listed substances.
Wiz, for example, was found to contain 4-chloromethcathinone, a homologue (chemical compound) of a listed substance in Schedule 7 of the Act of 1965, as well as Schedule 2 Part III of the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act, Act 140 of 1992.
The Advertiser is conducting an investigation into the latest craze of synthetic drugs as it remains concerned that many could be in danger if such substances continue to flood the streets.
The recent crime stats showed how Boksburg is already battling the scourge of drug trade. Adding to the mixture an ever-expanding market of synthetic drugs will only fuel an already explosive situation.
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