Last Chance: Village of Woodridge Synthetic Drug Forum

The  will host a topic forum Tuesday on synthetic drugs. 

Synthetic drugs include synthetic marijuana, synthetic stimulants and synthetic hallucinogens. They pose a public health and safety threat to Woodridge residents because they result in adverse health effects and have been linked to severe psychotic episodes, increased heart rates, panic attacks and hallucinations, police officials said.

The forum, part of the village's annual topic forum series, will be held at 7 p.m. May 8 at the . Police will cover what synthetic drugs are, where they are obtained and how to identify if someone has ingested them. Parents will learn how to better detect if their child has encountered synthetic drugs and how to talk to them about the topic. 

The police department's tactical unit will host the forum. The plain-clothes unit focuses on drug and gang suppression in the community. 

Synthetic drugs have been linked to deaths locally and nationally, according to a village release. In the first six months of 2011, 7,000 calls were made to the National Poison Control Center reporting exposure to synthetic drugs. These statistics have doubled since 2010.

The Woodridge village board voted in December  in the community. Anyone found in violation will face a $100 to $750 fine. 

There will be a Q&A on the topic and residents are invited to inquire about other topics, as well. 

If you can't attend the forum, you're invited to participate electronically on the Woodridge Police Department's Facebook page.