The gym bleachers at Fairhope High School were full on Tuesday night, as parents and community members gathered for an informational meeting regarding the dangers of current drug trends by former law enforcement officer, Jermaine Galloway.

Galloway, who leads anti-drug initiative "Tall Cop Says Stop," now devotes his time to to training communities in over 35 states on drug and alcohol prevention, education and enforcement.

At the meeting, Galloway delivered an overview of the dangers of addiction, drug marketing and trending drugs including vapes, Delta 8 and 9 THC, hallucinogenic mushrooms, fentanyl, xylazine and even Benadryl.

Delta 8 & 9 THC
Galloway opened his presentation with information on the dangers of Delta 9, which is legal due to it's low percentage of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Galloway explained that THC is the chemical compound found in cannabis that creates a "high" feeling, and because Delta 8 and 9 contain less that 0.3% THC it is legally considered "hemp."

"There is federal legislation called the 'Farm' bill, which protects hemp farming," Galloway said. "Anything under that percentage is technically 'hemp.' When you make it legal you make it more available and the price points drop, as long as children have open accessibility to these drug products you're going to have problems."

Vapes
Has vaping become the new smoking? According to Galloway, while vape pens don't contain nicotine, they do contain nicotine salts which can be more addictive than traditional tobacco.

However, Galloway also said that vape pens that contain THC contain their own set of dangers.

"The onset age of vaping is at least second grade," Galloway said. "If you smoked (marijuana) in the 60s, you were smoking 3% THC. Nowadays, the average percentage of THC (in marijuana) is 20%, and dispensaries range between 22% and 28% while concentrates range approximately 40-90%."

Hallucinogenic mushrooms
According to Galloway, Amanita Muscaria (a form of hallucinogenic mushrooms) are an emerging drug, and is toxic in it's purest form.
Galloway said that while some believe the drug can help with anxiety, depression and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), there has not been enough research yet to corroborate those claims. However, Galloway said the drug can also cause panic attacks, anxiety and induced psychosis when used recreationally.

Additionally, Galloway said that when one drug gains popularity, there is typically a resurgence in drugs of the same family which would include LSD, ecstasy and ketamine.

Fetanyl & Xylazine
Galloway said that one of the most dangerous drugs to be aware of is fentanyl, which has become more common in recent years.

"We are a society that has become tolerant of heroin, and it doesn't work anymore because people have built a tolerance to it," Galloway said. "What happens when we build a tolerance to fentanyl? They will move on to something stronger."

Galloway said that xylazine, a drug typically prescribed for sedation and muscle relaxation, is a emerging drug that he has noticed drug users combine with fentanyl to heighten it's effects.

Benadryl

"Legal does not mean safe, if you find a drug with your child and you don't think it should be there, you really need to look into it," Galloway said. "Addiction doesn't care about consequences, and it starts with the small stuff."

What can you do?
Galloway explained that because many of these drugs are legal, they are often marketed in a way that hides the product's true contents or is appealing to young children and teenagers.

Additionally, Galloway said some companies will even design their packaging similar to popular name brands, making it easy for children to mistakenly ingest a product containing drugs.

Therefore, Galloway suggested that parents stay aware of the latest drug trends and popular marketing tactics.

"Be wary of candy bars, chips and snacks because they are putting drugs in products that look like other products,"  Galloway said. "They're  making it strawberry and mango flavored, but are shocked when it ends up in our elementary schools. This stuff is all in the open, no one is hiding anything."