WASHINGTON – A product derived from marijuana that looks and feels like lip balm is becoming popular with teens, police say, but it’s a potent drug that can easily be concealed.
It has several names including “Wax”, “Butter” and “Honeycomb.”
Fox News reports the drug is made from the oils from the marijuana plant and contains a high level of THC, the chemical in marijuana that produces a high. Police say “Wax” is equal to smoking 15 to 20 joints but all at once.
This potent pot product is eaten or smoked. It can be smoked using a bong or an e-cigarette. And because it’s easy to make, police warn that the ingredients needed to make “Wax” are flammable which can lead to burns or even a house fire.
In April, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Michele Leonhart, told members of Congress that abuse of “Wax” is increasing throughout the country.
He said that highly flammable butane gas is used to extract the THC from the marijuana leaf, and has resulted in home explosions, injuries and deaths.