24 people are in the hospital, and one is dead, in Tuscaloosa. What happened?

Synthetic marijuana, also known as spice.

This isn’t just a recent thing, either.

Five and a half percent of high school students used spice last year. 28,531 hospital visits from this drug were recorded in 2011. And the number gets bigger every year. The situation in Tuscaloosa is bad enough that Chief of Police Steven Anderson called it “a public health crisis and a public safety crisis.”

Spice is so strongly toxic that scientists estimate that a single use can kill, if not end with the user in the hospital. And this gets worse when the manufacturers have doped it with potent herbicides and rodenticides, which are also highly toxic.

So, how can you stay safe, if this drug is spreading like wildfire?

• You can always dial 9-1-1.
• Also Text to Protect, at 256-604-2345, is another great resource.
• Tell a teacher or an administrator if you see someone smoking. Schools are a smoke-free place.
• Last but not least, stay away from drugs of all kinds.

These drugs have already claimed a life in Tuscaloosa. With many Bob Jones seniors looking forward to attending the University of Alabama in the fall, remember it’s better to be safe than sorry.