Mich. Counties Ban Synthetic Drug Cloud 9

Sept. 25--Wayne and Macomb County officials issued emergency orders today, banning a synthetic drug that has caused "several dozen" hospitalizations in southeast Michigan. The order denies retailers and individuals the ability to sell Cloud 9 and similar synthetic drugs in the county because officials believe it poses a health danger to the public.

Wayne County's Environmental Health staff will conduct random inspections of retailers that sell tobacco product. Businesses found selling the substances will be ordered to stop selling the products and could face legal action, according to a news release from Wayne County.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Macomb County Health Department Director William Ridella said the synthetic drugs are also labeled as Relax or Crown and are ingested and inhaled by users. Cloud 9 contains the chemical AB-PINACA, a synthetic cannabinoid that can cause serious health effects, according to a news release from Macomb County.

Wayne County's order reinforces the 2012 ban involving the sale of synthetic drugs. The drug is primarily sold as a liquid in eyedropper bottles and is often used with e-cigarettes or "hookah pens."

More than 20 hospital visits in Macomb County have been attributed to the drug.

Mouhanad Hammami, health officer and chief of health operations for the Wayne County Department of Health and Human Services, said the county has received an increase in reports of psychotic episodes related to the products.

Residents aware of locations where the drug is being sold are being urged to contact the county.

Following the hospitalization of two Westland John Glenn High School students who had taken a liquid synthetic drug Monday, police are visiting local stores to ask them to remove the product from their shelves and working with the Wayne-Westland Community Schools and Wayne Police on a public forum planned for Thursday, Oct. 7.

"We're going to put pressure on the stores to stop selling the product. Officers will visit every store and request that they take it off the shelf," Westland Deputy Police Chief Todd Adams said.

The students, a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, were reportedly taken to Garden City Hospital on Monday after ingesting the clear liquid substance sold under the street name Cloud 9 or Hooka Relax. Adams said both were kept under observation and released from the hospital Monday night.

A 15-year-old boy, who reportedly provided the synthetic drug to the other students, was taken into custody for marijuana possession and later released to his parents, Adams said.

"We recovered a bottle we suspect is Cloud 9. It had no label so we are sending it to the lab," Adams said. "If it is Cloud 9, that is an illegal substance."

School Superintendent Michele Harmala is asking parents to talk to their children about drugs.

"The safety of our students is always our primary concern," she said in response to the incident. "We want to partner with our parents and guardians to inform our students of the dangers of synthetic drugs like Cloud 9. Please work with us by talking to your children about the dangers of drugs, synthetic or otherwise."

Community forum

The community forum "Synthetic Drug Use in Teens" will be 7-8 p.m. in the auditorium of John Glenn High School, 36105 Marquette, Westland. The program will include information about the drug, symptoms of its use and addiction and question-and-answer session. The forum is open to Wayne-Westland parents and community members as well as those from neighboring school districts.

Cloud 9 the same type of substance that resulted in four Canton students being hospitalized earlier this month.

"It comes in a liquid form. They smoke it, put it into pop and ingest it or put it on marijuana to smoke it, use an E-cigarette or they could use a hookah," Adams said. "It causes crazy hallucinations and violent outbursts."

The effects can include agitation, paranoia, hallucinations, chest pain, increased pulse, high blood pressure and suicidal thinking/behavior, Adams said.

"They are selling it as incense or something but it's strictly for kids to ingest. It's hard to crack down on it," said Adams, adding this was a situation similar to K-2 or Spice bath salts that were taken with the same type of problems in recent years.

Along with getting stores to stop selling the synthetic drugs, Adams said police want to educate parents who may not be aware of these type of substances.

"It is a clear liquid in a small bottle. I don't think it has an alcohol odor," Adams said. "Parents might find a small bottle with no label. We want to educate parents. The kids could say it's air freshener or incense. The parents may not have seen drugs like this before."

Watch for signs

A Westland resident said she has been trying to get some action about Cloud 9 since her 17-year-old daughter was hooked on it for several months earlier this year.

"She couldn't eat and couldn't sleep. My daughter dropped 30 pounds. There were three weeks of withdrawal from it," she said. "Parents need to watch for the signs. They (users) are so paranoid. We don't know the long-term effects."

Her daughter was purchasing Cloud 9 at a local gas station and a smoke shop, keeping the product behind the counter, she said. Frustrated at the manufacturer and stores being able to skirt the law, she said the vials of Cloud 9 were selling for $20-$40 apiece.

"Cloud 9 is listed as a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance. However, the street chemist will simply change the chemical compound by adding or removing a chemical and give it a new name," Adams said. "This causes problems for the police and prosecutors and makes it difficult to take enforcement action."

Staff Writer Sue Mason contributed to this story.

LeAnne Rogers contributed to this report. She is a staff writer for Hometown Life. Contact her at: lrogers@hometownlife.com

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