When I read the story about a drug-sniffing K-9 who died following a contraband search at the Staton Correctional Facility on July 18 I scratched my head, felt sorry for the dog and really felt sorry for the dog's handler who I later learned was Sgt. Quinton Jones.
But what really stood out to me is the fact that the dog died from complications when he inhaled synthetic marijuana, better known as spice. I read a lot of arrest reports in my job and right now the top three or four are meth, spice, marijuana and pills.
We hear a lot of talk about an opioid epidemic in this country with thousands of people dying every year from overdosing on prescription pain medications. I'll agree it's a problem, but in most cases the person ingesting those drugs knows what drugs he or she is ingesting into their system.
It's much different for people who smoke spice, meth and sometimes marijuana.
To the best of my knowledge, spice was created by people who kept the illegal amount of any substance below the legal limit in the states it was being sold. It was legal to purchase at convenient stores.
Then problems started happening. I covered a story where some high school students in Brewton smoked some spice before school and the driver of the vehicle passed out and caused a wreck. I've covered other stories where people are rushed to the emergency room and read other stories where people actually died from smoking spice; many from heart attacks or strokes.
Several years ago I interviewed some medical providers and registered nurses about spice. What I learned is if someone comes in who has overdosed on Lortab, Oxycontin or most prescription drugs there is a drug to reverse those symptoms and save a person's life.
You pass out after ingesting spice, meth, crack and sometimes marijuana, the people in the emergency room don't know how to treat you because they don't know what types of drugs are in your system.
Spice can contain everything from roach poison to drain cleaner; meth has multiple chemicals, that also include things like Drano. Then, there's the so-called innocent marijuana. It can also be laced with other chemicals like the drain cleaner and roach spray.
Would anybody take a cup of Drano, add in a little Raid roach spray, top it off with anti-freeze and battery acid and take a drink? I don't think so. That sounds crazy.
But when people smoke spice and inject other drugs, sometimes that's exactly what they are putting into their bodies.
The K-9 who died after sniffing spice at the Staton Correctional Facility was named Jake. Jake died sniffing drugs that someone in that facility was either going to sniff or smoke. Reports from the Alabama Department of Corrections said Jake lost his balance and became unresponsive immediately after alerting on the illegal contraband.
Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn is quoted as saying Jake probably saved the lives of others by detecting the contraband during the search.
“With Jake's training and ability to find the narcotic, he saved other lives by giving his own in the line of duty,” Dunn said. “Jake's heroism and ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
Jake may have saved the life of an inmate or a correctional officer, but I hope the death sends a message to others who think spice is simply an easy high with no consequences.
Jake may have saved lives inside the prison that day, but the fact that he died from simply sniffing spice should send a powerful message to everyone. If it can kill a dog, it can kill you.
