What Substance was Demi Moore Smoking?
By Kerri Winick, GalTime.com
The sad sounds of the 911 call made from Demi Moore's home were just released. Now, some disturbing headlines are popping up, including this one that caught my eye: Demi Moore: What Drug Did She Smoke Before 911 Call?
Reports are flowing in that it wasn't marijuana, but a "mysterious substance" that experts believe may have caused her to have a seizure.
Some describe it as incense, or potpourri, but experts have dubbed it "fake marijuana."
It's an alarming trend that I reported on a few years back, although government officials and toxicologists are still extremely concerned today.
Related: Demi Moore Treated for Anorexia, Substance Abuse
Fake marijuana is a mixture of dried herbs that chemists say is sprayed with one or more chemicals, and teens and young adults across the country are smoking it. It's often sold under names like K2, Serenity Now, Spice, Yucatan Fire, and Zohai. These herbal concoctions are widely available and can be found at head shops, bait and tackle shops, gas stations, even on the internet, for about $30-$40 a bag.
"It's legal. And there's an entire trend in our country called legal highs," said Dr. Anthony Scalzo of SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center.
The Drug Enforcement Administration believes the chemicals sprayed on these herbs are similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. And that has agents on high alert. Supervisory Special Agent Gary Boggs with the Drug Enforcement Administration told me that most of these chemicals aren't controlled substances, which means they aren't under the government's regulatory authority. Special Agent Boggs said that fake marijuana should not be smoked, and the fact that people are lighting up is a major health concern.
