I recorded 25 cases in .. 2011 A federal commission is working to include it on the drug schedule

Dubai Police: «Spice» more dangerous than hashish and cocaine

Spice promotes an herbal product on the Internet. Archival

During the past year, Dubai Police detected a type of synthetic drug, which is not listed in the drug schedules within the country, known globally as "Spice". She warned that its effect is very devastating, pointing out that it exceeds in its impact many traditional drugs, such as hashish and cocaine, and its effect is 200 times greater on marijuana.

The Director of the General Department of Criminal Evidence, Lt. Col. Ahmed Matar Al Muhairi, said that the department received 25 cases for examination during the past year, and it was actually confirmed that they are for the drug «Spice», noting that there is a recommendation to include it in the drug schedules, and the Ministry of Interior will work on it soon.

He added that the challenge facing the control agencies in monitoring this drug and preventing its circulation is that it is not promoted by traditional means such as other drugs, but its users usually buy it via the Internet, as an herbal substance, taking advantage of the fact that it is not legally banned within the country, pointing out that its formulations also enter into some drugs and other substances, which makes it difficult to combat it.

According to global reports, Spice promoters market this drug on the Internet as a kind of incense or perfume. The sign, affixed to the Spice box, says the contents are not for human consumption, but for aromatherapy, and that they help "improve mood" and have a "long-lasting effect."

Some sites selling this substance, which is known among young people as «artificial cannabis», say that they do not trade in herbal mixtures containing prohibited chemicals, but rather offer «legal ecstasy», and global tests of the drug confirm that it enters the manufacture of 200 chemicals, which increases its danger, especially since some of them have not been tested on humans.

Al Muhairi pointed out that the cases registered with the administration were in the possession of young people and adolescents at the university level, pointing out that the idea of using it is imported from the «Internet», so a certain group of young people is interested in it, stressing the need to provide a kind of control over them, and supervise the materials they buy electronically, by credit cards.

He added that «the drug (Spice) is available in more than 400 products, and European countries such as Germany, and about 40 US states have taken the initiative to ban it, and tighten control over some chemicals that go into its manufacture, pointing out that these countries have what is known as temporary schedules, in which any new drugs are listed, until they are legally banned and included in the permanent schedules, stressing the importance of using the temporary schedules system in the UAE, to deal immediately with such substances that are always created. He explained that a comprehensive report has been prepared for the Ministries of Interior and Health, on the chemical elements contained in this drug, the images of its circulation, and the symptoms that affect its users, which in some cases reach death, based on reports recorded in America, as well as leads to delirium, and also causes murders committed by addicts, pointing to the formation of a committee at the state level to determine the dangers of this drug, and it is scheduled to be included in the drug schedule soon.

He stated that coordination has also been made with the concerned authorities, to tighten control over the country's ports to prevent his entry, pointing out that the problem remains in his arrival through postal parcels, after his request via the Internet, pointing out that Dubai Police is trying to provide a kind of deterrence, by communicating with families, and introducing them to the dangers of this substance that was seized in the possession of their children, until it is actually included in drug schedules, and legal action is taken against its promoters and users.

According to reports by international organizations, the drug «Spice» consists of Asian plants, such as the blue lotus flower, its leaves are covered with chemicals, the effect is similar to the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol, the main compound in marijuana, but the effect of these substances is 200 times more than its effect.

German authorities have banned Spice, and the German Ministry of Health said that the drug, which is being traded as a mixture of herbs, contains one of the substances that are active ingredients in cannabis, which makes the drug the same effects as cannabis, but to a stronger degree and for longer periods.

She pointed out that the drug contains the substance «CB-47-497», which has the effect of the active ingredient in cannabis, and the drug also contains the chemical «JHW 108», which is dangerous to health.