(Memphis) A Memphis Mother is assaulted by her own daughter and a drug is blamed for the attack.The drug, Synthetic Marijuana, is illegal in Tennessee, but there are some loopholes making it available to families. One mother is working to close those loopholes.
Monica Henderson has spent the last two weeks, writing lawmakers, trying to get help for her teenage daughter, Abby. The 17-year-old with dreams of becoming a nurse and rapper should be preparing for her senior year of high school, instead she`s confined at a local medical center and considered a danger to herself and others.
“She said voices had told her to lick the microwave, voices told her to attack people, voices told her to do everything that she had been doing.” recalled Henderson.
Henderson says her daughter began hearing those voices when she started smoking synthetic marijuana. It`s also known as “K2” and “Spice” and is known to have the same effects as cocaine and LSD. Abby was drug tested at a local hospital after she attacked her cousins, siblings, even her mother.
“That drug test came back completely negative.” said Henderson.
Two years ago, Tennessee lawmakers banned some of the chemicals in the drug.
But the drug makers are getting around the ban. They are making it, but with different chemicals, that`s how Abby was able to buy it a local corner store.
Henderson fears the law as it stands now, isn`t doing enough to protect Tennessee children.
“Can my 7-year-old go into the store and pick this up?.” questioned Henderson.
This year, legislators revisited the drug, but a stronger measure didn`t pass. Henderson believes the drug is a threat to public safety.
“You could be pumping gas and someone who just smoked it could run up on you and attack you, because it does cause aggression.” expressed Henderson.
“She slapped me and I said ‘why did you do that?” said Kimberly Sutton, Abby’s cousin. Kimberly has seen that aggression. Even though she was hurt in the attack, what really hurts her she tells News Channel 3, is that Abby is not the same.
“I feel helpless because when I needed help she was there, but now I can’t help her.” expressed Sutton.
It’s help Abby wants.
“She said ‘I don`t have control over myself, can you help me?” said Henderson.
It’s help her mother intends to get.
This year, Tennessee state lawmakers did make it a felony to sell the drug. But it’s not a felony if the packaging on the drug states that it’s not for human or animal use.
