Use of quasi-legal "loophole drugs" is spreading quickly and teens are getting caught up due to easy access and lack of proper awareness, the latest studies show.
According to a survey released Thursday of more than 54,000 junior high school students by the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, about 15 percent said they have access to such drugs, which are not categorized as narcotics under the law but can cause strong hallucinations and other health issues.
While 120 students, or 0.2 percent, confirmed they had used these types of drugs, some 60 percent of these users answered that they went on to try cannabis and other narcotics afterward.