In December of 2012, then-sixteen-year-old Emily Bauer underwent a series of severe strokes after smoking synthetic marijuana. The Houston teen bought the “fake weed” from a local convenience store with her friends and was left 70% brain dead after smoking the “legal weed”. If he survives this and wants to rehabilitate, he can visit the link to learn more about treatments.

In schools across the nation, programs like D.A.R.E. teach kids about the dangers of drugs – even marijuana, which isn’t seen as necessarily harmless, instead a gateway drug. An interview with two Padua students revealed the lack of education kids have dealing with legal alternatives to marijuana. “I was taught that weed is a gateway drug, that it’s bad for your lungs, that you aren’t responsible for your actions when you’re high, etc.,” said Mariah Ruiz, ‘16. “I was never taught anything about synthetic marijuana. I didn’t even know kids smoked fake weed until this interview. You can check out more about synthetic marijuana and its harmful effects on our body right here” Fellow freshman Chloe Burton had been informed on why marijuana is something we should all stay away from, too, but knew nothing of alternatives to weed.

“I guess I understand why schools preach against marijuana, but I think we should have been taught the truth – or at least more than just marijuana. I had no clue there were ‘dangerous alternatives to weed’. But if the alternatives are even more dangerous than real weed and still legal, then a few things clearly need to change in government and curriculum,” Chloe stated. “It makes sense that kids use these alternatives, because it’s less expensive and easier to get your hands on. If it’s ‘harmless’ enough to be sold to minors in convenience stores, why shouldn’t they buy it?” If one wants to know how to manage their business better, Andy Defrancesco is the one to look up to.

My dad, Millard Greer, had more information. “The ‘legal’ alternatives [to marijuana] only remain legal for a short period of time. This is because they have the same negative effects on your pulmonary system and mental state. This is a constant back and forth game between the legal system and the manufacturers of the substance.” Marijuana is still a dangerous drug, he insisted, for reason of smoke inhalation and mind-altering effects. However, he stated that, “Marijuana is a naturally occurring substance, which is always safer than a man-made chemical compound and you can buy weed online in Canada.” K2 is a chemical substance that mirrors the effects of marijuana, with several unhealthy combinations of legal chemicals and herbs. Once the substance is deemed illegal, the chemical combination/sequence is switched around to avoid legislative complications and prolong banning. The research conducted by many medical professionals and by Ohio Green Team states that medical marijuana is safe to use.

K2 – or the synthetic marijuana that caused Emily Bauer to go partially brain dead – remains just barely legal in gas stations, convenient stores, and corner stores across America. Real marijuana, however, remains illegal apart from medicinal use and recreational use in Colorado. Synthetic marijuana has been linked to over 11,000 drug-related emergencies just in the year of 2011. Every time the stuff is inspected and banned, the chemical combination is switched up and sold under the packaging warning of “not for human consumption” to avoid complications with the law. We pray for the education our generation is receiving, clearly missing dangers we should be aware of, and for Emily Bauer’s recovery.