Marijuana wax offers a purer THC high, and is popular among consumers of the drug. It's also been recently linked to explosions all over the country, including one right here in Nampa.
"THC content is your active ingredient that gets you high. By increasing that, people feel like they are going to get a stronger, faster, harder hitting high," said Jermaine Galloway, one of the nation's top experts in various drug trends.
In an effort to get that high, some individuals have turned to taking a traditional marijuana leaf, and making it into a wax substance.
It's called 'dabbing', but the process to make the substance, according to Galloway, is incredibly dangerous.
"What is happening during the extraction process, frequently they are using butane, especially if they are doing it at home. When they are using butane, the vapors from the butane are seeping out and ultimately they are getting a spark or some type of already lit flame or something that is causing an explosion," explained Galloway.
Galloway says the explosions are on the rise, happening across the country. One happened right here in a Nampa mobile home sending two people to a Salt Lake City burn unit.
"We're seeing it in homes. We're seeing it in cars. There was one that occurred in a gas station bathroom and apartment complexes. It has been a problem happening all over the United States," said Galloway.
The Substance could be right under your nose and you might not have any idea.
"People believe they know what marijuana looks like and this looks nothing like marijuana," explained Galloway. "One of the things some people are doing is they are hiding it in containers that used to contain standard wax. They are taking the real wax out and putting the marijuana wax in there."
The dangers, according to Galloway, don't just effect those using the wax.
"If you are in an apartment complex, it's the people above you, below you, and beside you. We have seen instances where innocent people have gotten hurt or killed in these explosions across the country," said Galloway.
Galloway says if you think someone you know could be using the substance, it's ok to reach out for help.
There are resources around the state, you just have to ask for it.
