Two Lincoln County, Tennessee teens recently ended up in the emergency room after smoking a fake marijuana cigarette.
The fake pot is sometimes sold and marketed as "potpourri." Fayetteville Police say a 19-year-old man allegedly gave the two 16-year-old girls a potpourri cigarette.
"They had hallucinations, that type of thing," said Detective Adam Eubanks.
Eubanks says this is not the decorative potpourri that many of us have in our homes. The products look innocent enough though, with shiny, colorful packages, some even featuring popular cartoon characters.
Many states have passed laws banning formulations of this synthetic marijuana, but Eubanks says manufacturers are often a step ahead.
"What the companies would do was tweak their formula," he said. "Make a different formula. Make a different chemical combination. Therefore it would be once again legal."
"These are being marketed to kids, and the reason that it's being marketed to kids is that it's easier to buy than a pack of cigarettes," said Dr. Juan Carlos Abanses, a pediatric ER doctor.
Dr. Abanses has treated several teens who have gotten violently sick after abusing these synthetic drugs.
"The most serious problem is seizures, I've had several kids come in with seizures and hallucinations with these now," he said.
Doctors and police have a strong message for teens who think it's safe to experiment.
"It could be legal, it could be illegal, either way it's very dangerous and they're basically taking a gamble every time they do it," Det. Eubanks said.
Copyright 2011 America Now. All rights reserved.
