Mary Joy

This article is about the legal intoxicant. For the 19th century author, née Mary E. Joy, see Mary Eliza Haweis.
M@ry Joy
Product type Legal intoxicants
Owner M@ry-Joy Herbal Incense & Potpourri Emporium
Introduced 2009
Markets
  • North America
  • United Kingdom
Tagline There's A New Clown In Town!!!

Mary Joy (styled as M@ry Joy) is the brand name of a distributor of legal intoxicants which are marked "strictly not for human consumption". Its products were launched in 2009 and include Pink and Annihilation (also known as K2, Warning, Review and Annihilator).

Products

The seller's products are legal intoxicants,[1] some of which are named Pink, Evolution, Warning, Tornado and Annihilation.[1][2][3] Pink and Annihilation are reported to be also known as K2, Warning, Review[4][5] and Annihilator.[6] A marketing slogan used in connection with the brand is "There's A New Clown In Town!!!".[7][8]

Use and availability

You may end up swallowing, snorting or smoking a substance without having any way of knowing exactly what it contains, legal or illegal.

“
”

Karen Smith, Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership

The seller's products were first launched in the UK[7] in 2009,[9][10][11] after a previous US launch.[8][10] Its main market has been stated to be North America.[11] The products are listed as not being legal in the Republic of Ireland.[11][12]

The products are marked labelled as "herbal incense"[5] "not for human consumption"[6][13] and are defined for legitimate sale as incense or pot pourri.[4][6] Annihilation is smoked like cannabis[5] as a psychoactive drug.[14] An atomic bomb mushroom cloud in the shape of a clown's head is depicted on the packaging.[5] Officers of Strathclyde Police issued a warning against general use, after nine hospitalisations in a three-month period.[14][15] They also warned against mixing such products with other drugs or alcohol, remarking that "the consequences could be even more severe."[14][16]

All our products are strictly not for Human Consumption.

“
”

MaryJoyUK website[13]

Their usage within the UK is known to be prevalent in the Shetland Isles,[4] and has also been noted in Glasgow,[16][17] Lancashire[5] and districts of Tyneside (including a 13-year-old)[1][2][6][18]

Effects

General effects reported by users are varying. They include "nothing much",[4] "hallucinations and insomnia",[6] "having heart palpitations... thought his skin was on fire"[5] and "had a horrific time, I will not be trying it again".[4]

Adverse effects as warned by the police include "paranoia, aggression, increased heart rate, unconsciousness, self harming and numbness in the legs leading to users collapsing".[14] Such effects have led to some users visiting A&E departments at hospitals including Lerwick's Gilbert Bain Hospital[4] and the Royal Blackburn Hospital in Lancashire.[5]

Reception

Opposition to the labelling and sale of legal intoxicants such as Annihilation has been voiced by Graham Jones MP[5] and Vera Baird QC.[19]

The review blog Herbal Incense Guide described the products as "joyous, giddy, relaxed fun"[7] Its subsequent review of Warning noted its "slightly moist" herbs and "unfortunate surplus" of material but still regarded it as a "pleasing blend".[20] A concluding comment in the review is "As wonderful as it is the show never lasts far beyond 30 minutes."[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Warburton, Dan (31 August 2012). "'Legal high' lands Tyneside teenagers in hospital". The Journal. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Teenage girl needed hospital treatment after taking legal high 'Annihilation'". Sunderland Echo. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  3. ↑ "Products | MaryJoy UK". MaryJoyUK website. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Legally available recreational drugs are being used in isles and are 'not safe'". The Shetland Times. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Watkinson, David (25 September 2012). "'Legal high' puts Darwen boy in hospital". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Warburton, Dan; Walker, Kim (31 August 2012). "Toxic but legal high puts two children in hospital". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 ""M@ry Joy" Review". Herbal Incense Guide. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Welcome to the Stateside Division Of M@ry Joy Herbal Incense And Pot Pourri". MaryJoyUS website. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "M@ry Joy Herbal Incense & Potpourri Emporium is now open for business". mary-joy.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Mary Joy UK company profile". TradeKey (www.tradekey.com/company/Mary-Joy-UK-5095885.html).
  11. 1 2 3 "Mary Joy UK". Business2World. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  12. ↑ "Company Profile - Mary Joy UK". gongchang.com. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  13. 1 2 "Products | MaryJoy UK". MaryJoyUK website. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Police warning over Annihilation legal high". The Herald. 7 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  15. ↑ "Today: Monday 8th October". Today. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Warning as nine people taken to hospital after using 'legal high'". STV. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  17. ↑ "Annihilation legal high leaves nine in hospital". BBC News. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  18. ↑ Sedgwick, David (30 August 2012). "Warning after 'Annihilation' legal high hospitalises teenager". newsguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "Vera Baird QC raises concerns about "legal high" substances with Home Secretary". Labour North website. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  20. 1 2 ""M@ry Joy" Review". Herbal Incense Guide. 13 September 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
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