Generally, when people talk about the latest trends on campus, they may recognize the leggings, boots and baggy sweater fashion statement that seems to have taken hold, or the use of the phrase “turned up.” But there could be a trend making its way to K-State and the midwest that would have a much more catastrophic effect.
A dangerous chemical compound that creates hallucinatory effects similar to that of LSD has become a new drug craze in the United States. It goes by the name of N-Bomb, Smiles, and is sometimes called fake acid.
Though it make be called fake, the consequences could end up being very real.
“LSD is incredibly dangerous; anything synthetic is worse because people are making them,” Matthew Droge, public information officer for the Riley County Police Department, said. “Say someone is making methamphetamine, for example. Essentially, they are just mixing chemicals. This could result in fire or outright kill a person taking the drug, or on a smaller scale, cause medical problems.”
In terms of trending drugs or synthetic drugs, the K-State Police Department has only seen a small increase in the use of bath salts and illegal prescription drug use. There have been no reported cases involving the use of synthetic LSD on campus.
“I do not understand how people can do drugs with the information that is available to them,” Darrah Tinkler, junior in pre-psychology, said. “It is ridiculous to think that people would risk so much just to get high.”
The two major drugs that are currently of concern within Riley Country are marijuana and methamphetamine.
The popularity of narcotics, stimulants and hallucinogens tends to travel across the country and become popular in different areas in waves. This seems to be the case with this new, deadly, synthetic LSD. However, law enforcement is hopeful that synthetic LSD will not become the new drug craze in Manhattan.
Being close to I-70 means that there is potential for large amounts of narcotics to be transported near K-State and within Riley County.
“A lot of crime we come across has a lot of drugs related to them,” Droge said.
An officer could easily be working an aggravated battery 911 call, for example, and end up finding drugs. This would lead to an entirely different case.
The biggest concern with new drugs is that many do not release an odor when a person is using them to get high, so it can often be difficult for law enforcement to be notified of an issue.
The department relies on reports of persons using drugs or abusing prescription drugs. Often, theft or reported theft of prescription drugs is an indicator that there is an addiction concern or that someone who knows there is medication in the room steals it for personal use.
A continual issue among many college campuses is illegal sale of medications such as Ritalin, Adderall and other attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications.
“[ADD/ADHD medications] are sold to be a study enhancer,” Stubbings said.
Capt. Don Stubbings, head of the K-State Police Department, said that if there is an issue with a new synthetic version of LSD on campus, it is not being brought to the department’s attention.
