Police said an officer was injured responding to an out-of-control house party in Plano that sent six youths to hospitals early Tuesday morning.[[389602451,R]]
One of the responding officers was punched by a party-goer at the home. He was treated for minor injuries.
Plano police said officers and paramedics responded to the home along Silver Falls Court at about 1:45 a.m. and found several youths that had reportedly taken synthetic drugs.
Three of the party attendees were transported to Medical Center of Plano and three others to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Plano, according to authorities.
The overdoses were not life-threatening for any of them, but police say it may highlight a bigger problem.
“The one thing about these synthetic drugs is, unfortunately, they are very easily, readily accessible. The cost is very low," said Officer David Tilley, Plano Police Dept. Plano Police spokesman.
Tilley said problems with synthetic drugs have now surpassed traditional drugs like marijuana and cocaine.
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“Many of these synthetic drugs can be more dangerous and even more deadly than the regular version,” Tilley said.
Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Randall Rubenstein agrees.
“It’s just real dangerous because when you look at it marijuana is a plant, cocaine comes from the coca plant, heroin the poppy plant, synthetic drugs there is not plant. It’s all just chemicals and it’s real dangerous," Rubenstein said.
Rubinstein sees patients addicted to synthetic drugs.
He said the drugs are highly addictive and sometimes in wealthier communities, are even harder to kick because of image.
“Even though the American Medical Association is saying that addiction is a brain disease people are still worried about image and they judge each other and so only three [out] of 10 Americans that need help for addiction ever ask for help,” said Rubenstein.
Plano police have an overdose investigator who will work to determine where the victims got the drugs.
“We want to find out where did these drugs come from and continue a long, pretty lengthy investigation in most cases to ultimately determine what the source of this was,” said Tilley
Many synthetic drugs are illegal in Plano, which means there could be charges coming after test are done to determine what drug it was.
The person who punched the officer could also face charges.
