[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7344-S7345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              K2 PRODUCTS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, as a parent and grandparent, I have long 
been concerned about the dangers that face our kids. I have been 
especially concerned about the large amount of dangerous drugs in this 
country and their use by anybody but particularly young people. It is 
clear drug dealers will stop at nothing to get our kids hooked on 
drugs. All too often, we learn of new and emerging threats to 
communities that often have negative impacts on our youth. But when 
these drug threats emerge, it is crucial that we unite to halt the 
spread of the problem before it consumes families and communities.
  Today we are confronted with new and very dangerous substances 
packaged as somewhat innocent products. Specifically, young people are 
able to go online and/or to the nearest shopping mall and purchase 
incense laced with chemicals that alter mind and body. These products 
are commonly referred to as ``K2'' or ``Spice,'' among other names. I 
have a chart Members can see behind me. They can see the package 
varieties of K2 products. I will not go into detail, but look at them.
  Specifically, kids are able to actually purchase these products with 
a great amount of ease. Kids and drug users are smoking this product in 
order to obtain what they think is a legal high, and the word ``legal'' 
tends to imply harmless. It is believed K2 products emerged on the 
scene beginning 4 or 5 years ago. Their use spread quickly through 
Europe and the United States. According to a study conducted by the 
European Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, most of the chemicals 
found in K2 products are not even reported on the label. This study by 
the European Centre concluded that these chemicals are not listed 
because there is a deliberate marketing strategy to represent this 
product as somewhat a natural substance. However, K2 is anything but 
natural. Most of the chemicals the Drug Enforcement Administration has 
identified within K2 products were invented by Dr. John W. Huffman of 
Clemson University and for a very worthwhile purpose--research 
purposes.
  These synthetic chemicals were never intended to be used for any 
other purpose other than research. They were never tested on humans, 
and no long-term effects of their use are currently known. As more and 
more people are experimenting with K2, it is becoming increasingly 
evident that K2 use is anything but safe.
  The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports 
significant increases in the amount of calls concerning these products. 
There were only 13 calls related to K2 use reported in 2009. Look at 
the figure for 2010. There have been over 1,000 calls concerning K2 
use. So it is very evident: A dramatic increase in a short amount of 
time of the public concerned about K2 use, probably reflecting 
increased use of K2.
  Common effects reported by emergency room doctors include increased 
agitation, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, hallucinations, and 
seizures. The effects from the highs from K2 use are reported to last 
several hours, and in some cases up to one week.
  Dr. Huffman has stated that since so little research has been 
conducted on K2 chemicals, using any one of them would be like 
``playing Russian roulette.''
  In fact, Dr. Anthony Scalzo, a professor of emergency medicine at St. 
Louis University, reports that these chemicals are significantly more 
potent than even marijuana. Dr. Scalzo states that the amount of 
chemicals in K2 varies from product to product, so naturally no one can 
be sure exactly the amount of drugs you are putting into your body when 
you use these K2 products. Dr. Scalzo reports that this can lead to 
significant problems such as altering the state of mind, addiction, 
injury, and even death. I will refer to the death issue in a moment.
  According to various news articles across the Nation, K2 can cause 
serious erratic and criminal behavior. In Mooresville, IN, the police 
arrested a

[[Page S7345]]

group of teens after they were connected to a string of burglaries 
while high on K2. The local county attorney prosecuting the case stated 
this was an unusual crime spree. These kids were not the type who are 
normally seen in the criminal justice system. The county attorney 
stated these kids had ``no prior record, good grades, athletes, so that 
got me wondering: is there a correlation between K2 and the crime?''
  Another case in Honolulu, HI, shows police arrested a 23-year-old man 
after he tried to throw his girlfriend off an 11th floor balcony after 
he was smoking K2.
  A 14-year-old boy in Missouri nearly threw himself out of a fifth 
story window after smoking K2. Once the teen got over his high, he 
denied having any suicidal tendencies. Doctors believe he was 
hallucinating at the time of the incident.
  K2 use is also causing serious health problems and increased visits 
to emergency rooms.
  A Louisiana teen said he became very ill after trying K2. The teen 
said he experienced numbness, starting at his feet and traveling all 
the way to his head. He was nauseous, light-headed, and was having 
hallucinations. The teen stated that K2 is being passed around at the 
school. The teen also stated that many people were trying it without 
fear, assuming it was safe because it was legal. I said that previously 
in my remarks: a legal drug, it has to be safe is kind of the attitude.
  Another case has a teenager in Indiana being admitted to an emergency 
room with a blood pressure of 248 over 134 after testing positive for 
K2.
  A teen in Texas became temporarily paralyzed from the waist down 
after smoking K2.
  Another teen in Texas had a heart attack after smoking K2 but, 
fortunately, survived the event.
  Regrettably, K2 use also has deadly consequences. I want to speak 
about an individual and family who suffered from a tremendously bad 
consequence of K2.
  The picture behind me is of David Rozga. David was a recent 18-year-
old Indianola, IA, high school graduate. According to his parents and 
friends, David was a bright, energetic, talented student who loved 
music, was popular, and active in his church.
  David was looking forward to attending the University of Northern 
Iowa this fall, my alma mater. On June 6, 2010, David, along with some 
of his friends, smoked a package of K2 thinking it was nothing more 
than just having a little fun.
  David and his friends purchased this product at a mall in Des Moines, 
after hearing about it from some college students who were home for the 
summer.
  After smoking this product, David's friends reported that David 
became highly agitated and terrified. When he got home, he found a 
family shotgun and committed suicide 90 minutes after smoking K2.
  The Indianola police believe David was under the influence of K2 at 
the time of his death. David's parents and many in the community who 
knew David were completely shocked and, obviously, saddened by this 
event.
  As a result, the Iowa Pharmacy Board placed an emergency ban on K2 
products in Iowa, which began on July 21, 2010. David's tragic death 
may be the first case in the United States of K2 use leading to 
someone's death, but, sadly, it was only the beginning.
  A month after David's tragic death, police reported that a 28-year-
old Middletown, IN, mother of two passed away after smoking a lethal 
dose of K2. This woman's godson reported that anyone could get K2 
easily because it can be sold to anyone at any price and at any time.
  This last August, a recent 19-year-old Lake Highlands High School 
graduate in Dallas, TX, passed away after smoking K2. The medical 
examiner confirmed that this boy had K2 in his system at the time of 
his death.
  These incidents throughout the country give me great concern that K2 
use is a dangerous and growing problem. Twelve States, including Iowa, 
have acted to ban the sale and possession of the chemicals found in K2 
products. Many more States, counties, and communities throughout the 
country have proposed bans or are in the process of banning these 
products.
  However, a recent article in the Des Moines Register highlights the 
fact that some stores are working around these bans by the simple 
process of changing some of the chemicals and by simply relabeling the 
product.
  So I believe it is time we have a national discussion about these 
dangerous substances. I hope in the coming weeks and months my 
colleagues will begin to take notice of this issue.
  As cochairman of the Senate Drug Caucus--I cochair that with Senator 
Feinstein from California--it is my hope we will have a hearing on this 
issue in the not too distant future.
  It is important to fully understand the magnitude and implications of 
allowing these products to remain legal in the United States. It is 
clear the sale and use of K2 products is obviously a growing problem. 
People believe these products are safe because they can buy them online 
or at the nearest shopping mall.
  We need to do a better job at educating the public and our 
communities about the dangers these products present. We, in fact, need 
to nip this problem in the bud before it grows and leads to the tragedy 
of more death or the tragedy of other health consequences.
  I ask each of my colleagues in the Senate to join me as we explore 
positive actions to stem the use of K2.
  I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant editor of the Daily Digest proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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