Legalize Weed!!!! Mother Died After Smoking Synthetic Marijuana Called "Spice"

[Mystica43229]

Yet another reason why weed should be legalized! There have been a number of deaths from people smoking this synthetic weed! Regular weed doesn't kill people!!!!! My brother told me last week he smoked some of the synthetic shit- I yelled at him.

Middletown, Ind. — A mother of two is dead after using a synthetic-marijuana laced incense known as "Spice."
Now her friends and family want the drug outlawed since more and more people appear to be dying from it.

"Yesterday I lost one of the most important people in my life," says Heather Hogan, blinking back tears, still trying to make sense of a life taken so suddenly.

"I've never even heard of it," Hogan admits.

28-year-old Lilly Helsley of Middletown died after smoking the drug designed to mimic the effects of marijuana. Hogan's 16-year-old son says this drug is legal and not hard to find.

"You can get it really easily," says Doug Hogan.

Doug, who also happens to be Helsley's godson, says it's sold in tobacco stores, head shops, and often on the streets.

"It's pretty much exactly like marijuana. It can be sold to anybody at any price at any time," he says.

And since it's not regulated by the Federal Drug Administration, the drug is to blame for a growing number of hospital visits. At least eight patients in Marion County have been treated in emergency rooms after smoking spice. And it's believed to be responsible for at least two other deaths in Indiana.

"How many people is it going to have to kill before they'll do anything about it," asks Hogan.

Helsley's friends and family want the drug outlawed and fear if something isn't done soon, more people will wind up like Lilly Helsley -- a woman with a heart of gold, who leaves behind two young children and an entire community that loved her.

"There was not a person that came into this town that she didn't love, that she didn't try and help out in some way."

Rep. John Barnes of Indianapolis plans to introduce legislation in the 2011 General Assembly.

Earlier this year, Kansas became the first state to outlaw Spice. Similar laws are being considered in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee and Utah.

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-spice...,1021879.story

[Pete Bondurant]

Just what the world needs.....more potheads.

[AngelFire]

It really does need to be legalized. I have never heard of anyone going and killing others while being stoned. Well, unless you are a cheeseburger, then I would tell you to run like hell.

I am waiting to see what happeneds here in Cali after the elections this November

[Obsolete]

Does this synthetic marijuana come with a warning label attached? If not, I say throw a warning label on it and let it be, if ppl don't want the risk of dying, don't smoke it. Just like tobacco. Cigarettes kill ppl too but they aren't outlawed

...either way we should still legalize marijuana.

[Pete Bondurant]

If it is legalised, I wonder if it will be traded on the futures market?

[cubby]

I'd like to jump into this but I'm not smart enough to counter all the arguments that what I'd like to say would cause.

In the end, tho, I am sorry that this apparently wonderful woman's death was caused by an imitation of an illegal substance that more than likely would not have killed her by itself.

It should be make Spice illegal not legalize marijuana.

Legalizing Marijuana to keep people from dying from Spice will not work..

[Countess Olenska]

What a crock of shit.

Smoking a fat bowl should not get you jail. You don't have people high on weed starting riots for fucks sake. You get people high on weed helping the economy by buying shit to eat and watching stupid movies on netflix.

[Athena]

Legalizing Marijuana to keep people from dying from Spice will not work..

How do you figure?

This woman, and all like her, are attempting to imitate the experience associated with marijuana through a medium not associated with legal repercussions. No one smokes Spice or any of the other synthetic marijuanas because they prefer it, they do it because they respect the legal consequences associated with the real thing. Remove those consequences and synthetic marijuana would largely fail to exist, as there's no point for it anymore.

So, from my perspective, legalizing marijuana would do precisely that. You don't hear these stories out of cities/countries where weed is legal.

[SqueezeBoxx]

I definitely say LEGALIZE MARIJUANA!

Or make it illegal to buy cigarettes, beer, soda, chips and marsmallow fluff!

[Dneilz]

I believe I posted something on this Spice.... oh, yes... I did. A boy went unconscious here (michigan) and had a seizure. This shit is not good.... not at all.

I say just smoke the real shit if you want a high...anything synthetic is bad for you. Look at how they tried to get people off from Heroin, with that fucking Methadone. Now we got cracked out people all over the place on Methadone, dieing with foam coming out their damn mouth because it is some made up shit that they use to get Heroin addicts off from heroin. Problem is, they don't know how much methadone is safe...and it too is now easy to buy on the streets. I guess it is used as a painkiller?

Anyway, my point is... if you are going to use (in regard to pot...not heroin, stay away from that shit) don't bother with the fake shit...God knows what's in it. Just smoke the real shit.

(ps... I don't smoke it myself...never got in to that because I am an overly anxious person and don't need to add to that)

[cubby]

I personally agree that marijuana should be legal. I don't have a problem with marijuana at all, but it is not logical to say that legalizing marijuana will stop people from dying from Spice, If people want to smoke Spice they will and will continue to die from it. Legalizing marijuana will not stop that.

Just like other nasty tasting, yucking smelling, stupid stuff you will always find someone who will do it regardless of the consequences just because they can.

That is my whole argument, some people cannot be protected from themselves.

Athena I respect your knowledge of statistics, facts and figures, I only have my common sense and my observations in the small town I live in. And, too, it is just what I think.

[Aslan]

Legalize pot and tax the hell out of it.
Help the economy and remove the advantage from certain cartels.

Pretty simple.

[Aena]

I seen this at the gas station one day, almost bought it but it actually costs more than pot does so I said screw that. Anyway, just going by memory it stated it was an incense, cannot remember the warnings although I do remember there were some.

[Alf]

We had some discussion of spice two months ago.

--Al

[pissedoffindaytona]

Just what the world needs.....more potheads.

Well.. I'm a sometime smoker and I have to say I prefer people smoking weed than drinking, potheads are not a danger to society, alcoholics are a major problem to society, If you're looking for recreational use it's no worse than a beer, but if you're
imature abuse is abuse of any substance...Question is what exactly is abuse...like Bill Clinton would say "What is Is??"

[Pete Bondurant]

Well.. I'm a sometime smoker and I have to say I prefer people smoking weed than drinking, potheads are not a danger to society, alcoholics are a major problem to society, If you're looking for recreational use it's no worse than a beer, but if you're
imature abuse is abuse of any substance...Question is what exactly is abuse...like Bill Clinton would say "What is Is??"

Marijuana use is not conducive to workplace efficiency. I also have a profound dislike for the tie-dyed shirts and the sandals. Men should not wear those things. I have also noticed that people who regularly smoke marijuana will not get angry about anything.....except if one criticises the beloved god, weed.

[Akelda]

I'm in favor of legalizing it. I've never known anyone to get high and beat up their spouse or start a bar brawl. They should legalize it, tax it,...and just think of the other stuff you can get from it,..hemp is extremely versatile. The fact that it's lumped in with harder drugs is very unfair. I know a girl at work who has an excellent work record,...and lost her job simply because they do pop drug tests randomly. Now while she knew the risk, and chose to smoke it anyway,, that's her fault.. But I also think it's a stupid thing to punish someone for something that is relatively harmless compared to the consequences of other drugs. She worked there 11 years before that failed test. They hired her back but only after she attended a rehab clinic for 90 days. She was not injured on the job, was not lazy, there was no good reason to suspect she was doing anything....it's all because of that random test policy. If someone is drunk or high at work, or gets injured, that's a valid reason to test someone. Otherwise, I think people should be able to smoke it if they want.

[Countess Olenska]

I watched Super High Me. They did a study of a guy for 30 days high and 30 days sober. They tested his IQ, Memory, sperm count, lung capacity, blood panel; everything they did showed he had 0 change except for an slight increase in math skills sober.

Smoke em if you got em.

[TACO]

I am all for the legalization of marijuana. To me it is as simple as this "who do you trust man or GOD?" All you do is dry it out & smoke it. It does not have to be processed with other chemicals to extract certain compounds. It is a "NATURAL" high.

Also, I agree with some previous post. When has a stoned person murder or beat someone up? Maybe a good joint every now & then would keep everyone calm. So I say FREE THE WEED!

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I am all for the legalization of marijuana. To me it is as simple as this "who do you trust man or GOD?" All you do is dry it out & smoke it. It does not have to be processed with other chemicals to extract certain compounds. It is a "NATURAL" high.

The logic in that kind of argument has always amused me. All kinds of "natural" things are also deadly. The all-natural substance arsenic comes to mind first. I tend to take things on a case-by-case basis.

While I am all for legalization of pot and view it as less harmful than many legal substances, I don't think it's a harmless thing. It has nothing to do with how it was "made" (nature or man). It has everything to do with how/when/why you use it.

A true "NATURAL" high needs no chemical additions... from any source. That is the best high.

[Dneilz]

The logic in that kind of argument has always amused me. All kinds of "natural" things are also deadly. The all-natural substance arsenic comes to mind first. I tend to take things on a case-by-case basis.

While I am all for legalization of pot and view it as less harmful than many legal substances, I don't think it's a harmless thing. It has nothing to do with how it was "made" (nature or man). It has everything to do with how/when/why you use it.

A true "NATURAL" high needs no chemical additions... from any source. That is the best high.

I agree DV.... I used to run marathons. There is a natural high when you are done running. Jumping also sends out all types of endorphins.... in fact, that is why they would have me do joint compressions on my son when he was younger (autistic). Apparently it helps to boost endorphins to give him a "feel good" sense and release stress while at school. And.. it worked. Crazy... and amazing!

[Aslan]

The logic in that kind of argument has always amused me. All kinds of "natural" things are also deadly. The all-natural substance arsenic comes to mind first. I tend to take things on a case-by-case basis.

While I am all for legalization of pot and view it as less harmful than many legal substances, I don't think it's a harmless thing. It has nothing to do with how it was "made" (nature or man). It has everything to do with how/when/why you use it.

A true "NATURAL" high needs no chemical additions... from any source. That is the best high.

I'll tell you this, given the choice I would rather share the road with someone stoned off their ass than someone drunk.
At least little mister or miss stoned would be easy to spot and pass on the highway (driving slowly) as opposed to someone feeling like 'as soon as I get home I won't be busted' drunktard.

A person can find an argument for anything, I've found in my own experience. In that same experience I postulate that pot isn't evil. Should be legal and that users should be taxed.
I again put before all that once such a thing would occur we will see the lessening grip of illegal cartels bullying folks into bringing the crop into the country and those caught in so doing being put away for years when they are busted.

I'm not quite sure what I'm missing here, seems to me to be a nobrainer.

[TACO]

The logic in that kind of argument has always amused me. All kinds of "natural" things are also deadly. The all-natural substance arsenic comes to mind first. I tend to take things on a case-by-case basis.

While I am all for legalization of pot and view it as less harmful than many legal substances, I don't think it's a harmless thing. It has nothing to do with how it was "made" (nature or man). It has everything to do with how/when/why you use it.

A true "NATURAL" high needs no chemical additions... from any source. That is the best high.

Natural in that is does not have to be processed with a chemical to make the drug to get high. Marijuana you dry it & smoke it.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Natural in that is does not have to be processed with a chemical to make the drug to get high. Marijuana you dry it & smoke it.

"It's natural" as testimony for safety still amuses me. Plenty of non-processed things are harmful or deadly. Plenty of processed things are safe when used as designed. How something came to be does not make anything automatically safe or unsafe. For me, the actual facts of action of a substance and it's use is a far better example.

[carolinablue]

Well, now I'm really PO'd! Voodoo and Herb Best never did anything except give me short term pain relief, and it's less expensive thwn the real thing. I was in a legit pain management program for over 14 years. I've been MRI-ed, CT scanned, had multiple neurological tests...hell, I was a guinea pig for a lot of painful and invasive treatments. I am on disability for "rapidly advancing osteoarthritis, neuropathy, paraesthesia and intractible pain, and the inevitable depression that comes with pain that lasts more than 2 weeks. No cure, just deterioration for the rest of my life. Blah, blah. Not asking for sympathy, just explaining how I arrived at my choice.

I was on heavy narcotic painkillers for over a decade...40mg oxycontin 2xda, Xanax, neurontin and some other crap that made me throw up. Even tho the pain was controlled, I was terrified that I'd become another middle-aged woman hooked on Loritabs or something else. Seen it and it's not pretty. So I stepped the painkillers down and got off of them to give "nature's best" a chance. Advil and herbal refreshment keep the pain down to a bearable level; it's not gone, but I can deal. I hated feeling good on narcotics, however legal; I knew they weren't my real emotions, but chemical euphoria.

Legalize marijuana for medical use!

[Jessiesgirl1108]

"It's natural" as testimony for safety still amuses me. Plenty of non-processed things are harmful or deadly. Plenty of processed things are safe when used as designed. How something came to be does not make anything automatically safe or unsafe. For me, the actual facts of action of a substance and it's use is a far better example.

I think the point Taco is trying to make is that marijuana is safe in the fact that you can smoke as much of it as you want and never over-dose. It has many medical uses without the negative side effects of "processed" drugs, unless you consider the munchies as a negative side effect!

[biteme]

If it is legalised, I wonder if it will be traded on the futures market?

To be controlled by the drug companies or oil companies, huge profits made, federal funding, tax breaks
and no one will be able to afford it

[koochie]

this post is giving me the munchies.................

[brokenandtwisted]

Legalize marijuana for medical use!

We already have...along with gay marriage, advanced stem cell research...I mean really, I could go on and on...

[Rhoni]

I'm in favor of legalizing it. I've never known anyone to get high and beat up their spouse or start a bar brawl. They should legalize it, tax it,...and just think of the other stuff you can get from it,..hemp is extremely versatile. The fact that it's lumped in with harder drugs is very unfair. I know a girl at work who has an excellent work record,...and lost her job simply because they do pop drug tests randomly. Now while she knew the risk, and chose to smoke it anyway,, that's her fault.. But I also think it's a stupid thing to punish someone for something that is relatively harmless compared to the consequences of other drugs. She worked there 11 years before that failed test. They hired her back but only after she attended a rehab clinic for 90 days. She was not injured on the job, was not lazy, there was no good reason to suspect she was doing anything....it's all because of that random test policy. If someone is drunk or high at work, or gets injured, that's a valid reason to test someone. Otherwise, I think people should be able to smoke it if they want.

This is one of the reasons I have such a huge problem with "drug testing" I realize marijuana is illegal and as far as that goes should never be found in your system but as far as work goes, It is not their business what you do on your own time. There is no way to pinpoint the time of marijuana use. I think it is total BS to fire someone without knowing if it was used on the job. I know I never smoked at work or before work for that matter. So in my opinion it never effected my job performance..As a matter of fact knowing when I was done working I was going to be able to relax and indulge usually put me in a better mood :)

I have to backtrack just a little. I did have one job where the whole plant smoked at work, including the boss. It was our lunch most nights haha. Production was always outstanding on our shift..