Dangerous herbal mixtures confiscated

Munich: State Office for Criminal Investigation seizes 670 herbal surprise bags

24.01.2011

More and more young people had to be hospitalized last year due to the consumption of questionable herbal mixtures. In Munich, the State Office of Criminal Investigation has now reacted and confiscated 670 "herbal surprise bags".

The herbal mixtures used as marijuana substitutes with fancy names such as „Lava Red“ or „Monkey go bananas“ had spread rapidly in recent years. Many were not covered by the Narcotics Law (BtMG) and could not be detected by most drug measuring devices, yet they produced a clearly intoxicating effect. This goes despite the name as a herbal mixture, but not from the contained natural herbs, but from synthetic ingredients (usually synthetic cannabinoids), which are added to the sold as a room fragrance product. The Bavarian State Office for Criminal Investigations warns of these „insanely dangerous“ Herbs- „Wundertüten“, as Armin Aumüller emphasized by the narcotics department. The investigators have therefore confiscated in a raid in four stores in Munich 670 packets of health-endangering herbal mixtures. According to the police, the shopkeepers could be proven drug trafficking.

Herbal mixtures can cause heart arrhythmia and loss of consciousness
That against as well „Legal High's“ referred to herbal mixtures is not least due to the massive health risks associated with the consumption. So the Poison Control Center warned last year that, for example „Lava red“ can lead to shortness of breath, cramps, blurred vision, nausea, sweating, dangerous cardiac arrhythmia and unconsciousness. In addition to the cardiovascular system, the nerves can be significantly damaged, according to the experts. Even longtime cannabis users were in fact astonished in online forums about the effects of the so-called herbal mixtures, because these correspond less to the effect of cannabis but rather remind of hard chemical drugs, so the comment of several users.

Herbal drugs contain synthetic ingredients
In addition to an indiscriminate mixture of herbs are native to Asia „Wundertüten“, almost always synthetic ingredients, most of which were mixed with synthetic cannabinoids. Actually, the herbal mixtures are characterized as fragrance and incense, but they are usually not sold by the traders in this country as such. In the so-called head shops, where all accessories related to cannabis use is available, so far also often the legal herbal mixtures went over the counter. At a purchase price of only about four euros per bag, the dealers made so far a considerable profit. But in the future it will be over after the will of the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigation. With the current raid a first step was taken to successfully fight the herbal mix sale, so the assessment of the officials. (Fp)

Also read:
Increasing alcohol abuse among adolescents
Teenagers after herbal mixture joint in clinic
Alcohol is worse than heroin or cannabis

Image: Henning Hraban Ramm