"Jewelry Cleaner" Drug Concerns

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by FOX Charlotte

Story Created: Dec 16, 2011 at 12:14 AM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 16, 2011 at 12:14 AM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - "It shows on the back that if you mix it with water for 20 seconds or so, then you can dip your jewelry in it to clean it, but it's actually not designed for that at all," says Jeff Goddard.  He is the president of Mobile Drug Testing of the Carolinas.
 
He first heard of the drug sold under the name "jewelry cleaner" a few months ago but fears that it is now surfacing in Charlotte.  "It's very possible it's on shelves right now," says Goddard.

It's a powdery substance that drug users ingest, snort or even insert rectally, Goddard says.  The drug is described as fake cocaine.  It's said to cause a euphoric high, heightened alertness, even some sexual stimulation.

In June, North Carolina banned the ingredient MDPV, found in bath salts and possibly in this "jewelry cleaner," too.  Before the ban, the products were commonly found in alternative smoke shops, even gas station convenience stores.

But Goddard says some drug dealers chemically tweak the ingredient to skirt the law.  We went to two alternative smoke shops in Charlotte and asked to purchase "jewelry cleaner."  At the first store, an employee immediately told us they didn't sell  it but they did have people come in and request it.

At the second shop, an employee went behind the register, produced a small container and sold it to us for $25.

Carolinas Healthcare tells us they haven't seen "jewelry cleaner" in Charlotte yet, but Substance Abuse Services Director Bob Martin says, "I am sure that we will.  As the local DEA and police have said, we can not arrest our way out of the drug problem.  With organic compounds it is very possible to alter the composition slightly to avoid being an illegal substance."
     
And as for who this drug appeals to?  Goddard says, "That's a tough question because of the simple fact that it's a drug that would not typically be picked up on a standard drug test."

The drug can cause a dangerous and even deadly spike in body temperature.  Law enforcement in South Carolina tells us the "jewelry cleaner" is showing up there, too.
 

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