L–R: Bath salts, MDMA and DMT
drugs include DMT, 2C-E and 2C. Some of these drugs you may have heard of, but others… maybe not so. However, they are all increasing in popularity. Users are switching to these drugs because they are easier to obtain than ever before and many drug testing programs do not test for these drugs. Now users can get high with a reduced risk of being found. Phenethylamines and Tryptamines can
be very easy to make. Two books written by Alex Shulguin, “TiHKAL” and “PiH- KAL,” even outline the synthesis to make a number of these drugs. “TiHKAL” and “PiHKAL” stand for “Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved” and “Phenethyl- amines I Have Known and Loved,” re- spectively. Many of the drugs listed in the books, such as Methalone, are only one molecule away from MDMA (or Molly) and are completely legal. Methalone, as an example, is a Schedule 1 drug but many states have not caught up and have not added it to their Controlled Sub- stances Act. This simple omission makes them legal in that state. Tese designer drugs are manufactured
much like MDMA and a users’ high may mimic MDMA influence. Tis would include dilated pupils, hallucinations, rapid pulse, elevated body temperature, and hyperactivity. However, with tolerant users, signs and symptoms may be more subdued. Users will experience altered perceptions including a distortion of colors, distortion of time and space and synesthesia. Synes-
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thesia is a transposing of the senses. Some examples would include seeing sparks come from a phone when it rings (instead of hearing the ringing sound) or smelling roses when they see a particular object. Tese drugs cost the same as MDMA and
are sold in much the same fashion. With the exception of psilocybin and LSD, most of these drugs come in pill form, but some- times as a powder. Te pill form can range anywhere from $5 to more than $20 per pill.
How to Catch Those Skirting the System All hope is not lost in trying to catch those trying to skirt the drug testing system. Tere are many laboratories that test for most of these drugs. When you contact these labs, just inquire. Another easy way to catch drug users
who are in the workplace is to have an ag- gressive drug abuse and influence-testing program. We teach police officers daily on how to spot people that are under the influence of a drug or who have recently been abusing drugs. Tis system has been court tested and is very accurate. Teaching the corporate sector the same skills has been very easy and it is noninvasive. Many of the techniques that police officers use are merely passive observation. Drug consumption trends are chang-
ing rapidly. I have been a police officer involved in drug enforcement at the user level for 25 years. When I first started, we only had to deal with marijuana, heroin,
cocaine, methamphetamine and PCP. Now, we have to deal with such a variety of drugs, many legal, and it is astonishing. It is imperative that we try to lessen with the public’s consumption of these drugs so we can maintain a safe working environment, safe roads and continued compliance with court mandates. ❚
Endnotes 1
Perrone, D., Helgesen, R.D., and Fischer, R.G., “United States Drug Prohibition and Legal Highs: How Drug Testing May Lead Cannabis Users to Spice,” Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
2
Larry, Oaks. Fiery fatal truck crash on I-94 in Wis. linked to synthetic marijuana. Star Tribune August 4 2012, 1. Print
Keith Graves has been a police officer in the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years and is currently a sergeant assigned to patrol. Keith is a Drug Recognition Expert Instruc- tor and teaches both the DRE course and the Drug Abuse Recognition Course. Keith has also taught at the Basic Police Acad- emy and has developed a number of drug courses for the California Narcotics Officers Association. Keith has held assignments as a Narcotics/Vice Detective, COPPS Officer, Traffic Officer, and SWAT Team Leader. Keith has taught thousands of officers and businesses about drug use, drug trends, compliance training and drug investigations. Keith earned a Bachelor of Arts in business management from Saint Mary’s College of California. Keith is the Founder and Presi- dent of Graves & Associates, a company dedicated to providing drug training to law enforcement and private industry.
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