What does your office require in the way of confirming the nature of the allegedly illegal substance before filing one of these cases under new PG 2-A? Do you insist on a lab analysis? Or is packaging or some other indicia sufficient?

And if the former, has DPS labs' new limitations on testing in misdemeanor cases adversely impacted your practice or caused it to change?

Just curious...

Laredo is awash with these cases. Because no one understands the drug yet, everything is being tested. I would imagine that the demand for testing will decrease once people know what to look for.

Interestingly enough, the crooks are trying to get around the illegality of the drug by introducing new (and toxic) ingredients to try and mask the central "ring" of the psychoactive substance. DPS labs are constantly having to order new standards for testing. With the right standards, however, the lab can readily identify the main culprit.

Mind you, this is how my very unscientific mind understands what the lab director told me about testing....

Yes, it takes a LOT of time, and it is expensive. We have had several reports of kids who have OD'd on K2 and bath salts. This stuff is much scarier than weed ever thought of being............

I've seen enough "fake weed" cases turn out to be REAL marijuana that it would make me extremely hesitant to file without a lab report.