The New York City Police Department is training its new officers to believe that synthetic marijuana can turn individuals into violent and super strong aggressors who are best subdued with the use of stun guns and pepper spray. The officers are being taught to recognize “excited delirium syndrome,” which is described as a state of extreme excitement and agitation associated with drug use, characterized by increased physical strength, elevated body temperatures, and other symptoms. This condition was cited as a contributing factor in the deaths of individuals killed by the police, sparking criticism and concern from the medical establishment.
The term “excited delirium syndrome” has been criticized by the American Psychological Association and the American Medical Association, among others, as lacking scientific basis and being disproportionately cited in cases where Black men die in law enforcement custody. Although some states, such as California and Colorado, have taken steps to ban it as an official cause of death and remove it from training documents, these actions have so far escaped the attention of local and state lawmakers in New York.
The syndrome has been debunked as vague and pseudoscientific and the NYPD’s training materials, obtained through a public records request, instruct officers to seek to restrain individuals experiencing excited delirium and utilize the use of stun guns. However, medical professionals emphasize that a medical response and identifying the physiological cause of the condition are crucial.
The NYPD is also taking excited delirium beyond its dated conclusions by linking it to the consumption of synthetic marijuana. However, experts refute the association, and have called out the lack of scientific basis for these claims. The failure of the NYPD to update its training materials in the wake of these revelations has been criticized as being out of touch by human rights lawyers, physicians, and other professionals.
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