Debate over synthetic pot rages after teen nearly dies from smoking it

A debate about synthetic marijuana is raging, thanks to the story of a Texas teen who nearly died. On Dec. 16, Emily Bauer, then 16, was in the ICU, having suffered a violent reaction after taking the drug. She had several strokes and almost died; she’s now brain-damaged. Her family thought she had smoked marijuana, but Bauer and her friends had bought a product sold as "potpourri" in gas stations, also known as "Spice." The blend of herbs is sprayed with high-inducing chemicals and marketed as a legal alternative to ganja, but it isn’t. It’s often labeled as unfit for human consumption to get around laws banning some of the chemicals. The Bauer family started Synthetic Awareness For Emily, hoping to spread the word that synthetic weed is not a safe alternative.[Source]

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