Fake marijuana illegal in Air Force, U.S.

  • Published
  • By Capt. David Fox
  • 82nd Training Wing Assistant Staff Judge Advocate
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  "Spice," "K2," "Blaze" and "Red X Dawn" are just a few of the names that synthetic marijuana goes by. All are labeled and were sold as herbal incense and a legal alternative.

Although these products have been illegal in the Air Force since June 9, 2010, it was announced Nov. 24, 2010 that it is now illegal for anyone to possess these products in the United States. Airmen who use or possess these products, even once, could face up to five years of confinement and a dishonorable discharge.

The change is an effort to curb the growing use of these products. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration recently labeled the five chemicals JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47, 497 and cannabicyclohexanol as controlled substances.

These chemicals are coated over plant material to create "fake pot" products, which provide similar effects of tetrahydrocannabinol found in marijuana. The DEA's rule places products that contain any of these chemicals on the controlled substance list.

The popularity of "fake weed" has been seen in the Air Force as well. In response, an Air Force-wide regulation was put into place June 9, 2010, making it illegal to use or possess substances such as "Spice" or "K2."

For Airmen, the DEA rule change now means the possession, use or distribution of any product containing these chemicals is now illegal under Article 112a in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This is the same article used to prosecute Airmen who use cocaine, methamphetamine or any other controlled substance.

The DEA has designated these chemicals as Schedule I substances which is reserved for the most unsafe, highly abused substances that don't have any medical usage. With the DEA's new rule, products such as "Spice" and "K2" containing any of the banned chemicals are now classified alongside marijuana, heroin and LSD on the Schedule I controlled substance list.

The change follows a large growth in the number of reports from poison control centers and hospitals, where individuals have been admitted after using these products.

The banned substances are nothing more than research chemicals and have not been approved for human consumption. In short, the ultimate dangers of using "fake pot" products are unknown. What is known is that Airmen who use these products face serious consequences.