Sam Motsay was a high school academic honors student-athlete with a loving, supportive family and big plans for the future. But he died on Mother's Day 2014, the victim of a little-known synthetic drug that is targeted at teens as a substitute for LSD, and that can be as lethal as poison, even with just one use, based on how the drug is packaged and distributed by dealers.

Sam’s mother, Jeanine Motsay, wants to get the word out about NBOMe so no more teens die from its use. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, NBOMe is linked to the deaths of at least 19 Americans ages 15 to 29 from March 2012 through August 2013. Sam’s death in May and that of another Central Indiana teen, John Joseph Romaine, in April can be added to that sad statistic.

The DEA made 25I-NBOMe, 25C-NBOMe and 25B-NBOMe Schedule I illegal drugs in November 2013, but even many law enforcement officials were unfamiliar with NBOMe at the time of Sam’s death. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-kvaUAdlP4) That means that many young people introduced to this drug may likewise be unaware at the devastating consequences that can occur and that taking this drug is like playing Russian Roulette. As Sam’s mother Jeanine puts it, Sam and two friends used the drug; only one of them did not wake up. (http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/08/10/synthetic-drugs-pose-challenges-parents-schools/13878831/)

Jeanine wants young people to be aware of the dangers of NBOMe and wants to equip them – as well as their parents, educators and communities at large – with information about these dangerous compounds. She wants them to know that what is being sold to our young people can be fatal. (http://fox59.com/2014/08/03/161547/)

In the weeks following the loss of Sam, Jeanine as well as family and friends realized not only did they not know about NBOMe, but there is very little centralized information about the dangers that young people, parents and schools readily need regarding this drug. To move information into as many communities as possible, they formed a non-profit organization, SAMs Watch, to accomplish this goal. The website samswatch.org features information about other synthetic drugs, including bath salts and cannabinoids, such as K-2 and Spice. “Our kids need to learn about the synthetic drugs out there from someone more knowledgeable than their peers,” Jeanine Motsay said. “Information can save lives. We don’t want other teens to meet our son’s fate or other parents to have to go through what we’re going through. Parents who are equipped with information can help their children to make good decisions. Young people can make informed decisions.”

Synthetic Drugs - Community Stops Drug Use