Substance abuse and alcoholism have been on the forefront of the headlines for some time now; stories ranging from addiction to everything from prescription medications to more commonly identified illicit drugs such as Cocaine, Heroin, and Marijuana. While many of the drugs being abused by teens and habitual users are familiar to most of the public, if only by name, there are a variety of lesser known drugs. New trends in drug abuse are difficult to keep up with especially when they are being produced illegally in the United States at an alarming rate.
For many years law enforcement officials and community leaders, on a national level, have understood the threat for the future based on the impending dangers of these new hybrids or synthetic chemicals being manufactured. Several of these synthetic products are being sold legally around the country, as well as on the internet. Unregulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), potential health risks and side effects of these man-made drugs generally are unfamiliar and can pose a serious risk. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration and National Institute on Drug Abuse are government resources available to the community to further educate themselves hazards of this growing epidemic.