Originally appeared in  The Detroit News, October 10, 2014.

Sales and use of Cloud 9, a synthetic drug gaining popularity in Metro Detroit, have led to several dozen hospitalizations in recent weeks. Most of those harmed are teenagers. It’s not a new problem, but a different version of an ongoing problem. These emergencies are preventable but require committed and cooperative action on several fronts.

Cloud 9 and Hookah Relax are the newest versions of synthetic cannabinoids created to mimic the effect of THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana. As a retail product, Cloud 9 is a clear liquid sold in vials and eyedropper bottles. Cloud 9 can be ingested using an e-cigarette, hookah, or by dropping it into marijuana or energy drinks.

Teens underestimate the risks of using synthetic drugs. They’re perceived as natural and relatively harmless, but are neither. Cloud 9 is a synthetic compound created by…