What Is Synthetic Marijuana — Spice or K2?
Synthetic marijuana refers to a mixture of herbs, incense, and other leafy materials that are sprayed with a chemical that mimics the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Many people believe "Spice" to be a safe and non-toxic substitute for marijuana. However, Spice can be more dangerous than marijuana because its chemicals are three to five times more potent than the THC found in marijuana.Moreover, a number of medical reports contain stern warnings about the substance. What many people don't know about "Spice" is that the side effects can be very bad, even resulting in death.
What Are the Side Effects?
Some of the most commonly reported side effects of K2 are:
Because the drug is so new, there is no research on the longterm of effects of "Spice" use, such as whether it can cause cancer or damage memory. Some reports suggest that the substance may contain heavy metals, which can cause longterm health damage.
- Extreme paranoia
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Temporary paralysis of motor skills
- Elevated heart rate
- Uncontrollable Sweating
- High body temperature
- Manic rage
- Delusions
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Rapid heart rate
- Stroke
- Death
Because the drug is so new, there is no research on the longterm of effects of "Spice" use, such as whether it can cause cancer or damage memory. Some reports suggest that the substance may contain heavy metals, which can cause longterm health damage.
Spice: A Bad Trip
If
the above list of side effects hasn't convinced you that Spice can be
an incredibly unpleasant drug, then I would urge you to check out the
video below where you can see someone experiencing a range of unpleasant
side effects.
WARNING: the video contains explicit language and its contents may be disturbing, so watch at your own discretion.
WARNING: the video contains explicit language and its contents may be disturbing, so watch at your own discretion.
Is Spice Legal?
Often
sold under the brand name of K2 or Spice, synthetic marijuana used to
be easily purchased from gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops,
or online brokers. As of 2010, several states including North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio,
California, New York, Pennsyvania, Kansas, Georgia, Alabama, Missouri,
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas have passed statewide bans on
synthetic cannabinoids.
in 2012 President Obama signed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act, which prohibited those substances at the federal level. However, because these laws prohibit specific compounds, manufacturers have responded by altering the composition of their product to evade the prohibitions.
in 2012 President Obama signed the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act, which prohibited those substances at the federal level. However, because these laws prohibit specific compounds, manufacturers have responded by altering the composition of their product to evade the prohibitions.
Is It Worth the Risk?
Studies have found that the side effects of Spice can be harmful and even deadly in some cases. The Gateway Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Treatment
out of Illinois says that Spice and K2 have extremely harmful side
effects and that teens and adults should avoid them altogether.
Smoking Spice may cause a relaxed mellow sensation or extreme psychological anxiety and physical suffering. The high that these substances produce is very inconsistent for the users because the chemical mixture and potency can vary from package to package. Even users smoking from the same package can have radically different reactions. As such, it is difficult to predict what possible side effect Spice will have on an individual user.
Moreover, there hasn't been sufficient research done on Spice to definitively identify its harmful consequences. While scientists know Spice is harmful - based on the rise of emergency room visits and calls to poison control centers by people who've ingested Spice - they can't yet tell you how it's bad for you.
John W. Huffman, a chemist at Clemson University, and inventor of the first synthetic cannabinoids, declared that "It is like Russian roulette to use these drugs." He went on to say that “Their effects in humans have not been studied and they could very well have toxic effects. They absolutely should not be used as recreational drugs.”
Smoking Spice may cause a relaxed mellow sensation or extreme psychological anxiety and physical suffering. The high that these substances produce is very inconsistent for the users because the chemical mixture and potency can vary from package to package. Even users smoking from the same package can have radically different reactions. As such, it is difficult to predict what possible side effect Spice will have on an individual user.
Moreover, there hasn't been sufficient research done on Spice to definitively identify its harmful consequences. While scientists know Spice is harmful - based on the rise of emergency room visits and calls to poison control centers by people who've ingested Spice - they can't yet tell you how it's bad for you.
John W. Huffman, a chemist at Clemson University, and inventor of the first synthetic cannabinoids, declared that "It is like Russian roulette to use these drugs." He went on to say that “Their effects in humans have not been studied and they could very well have toxic effects. They absolutely should not be used as recreational drugs.”
Treatment Options for Spice Addiction
Support Groups.
12-step programs have a long track record of helping people recover
from all sorts of addictions.
Marijuana Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous would be great places to start.
Talk to your family or friends. If you have a trusted friend and family member you can turn, he or she could put you in touch with a counselor or help you make plans for treatment if you're unable to do it yourself. Most importantly, knowing that someone is there for you and loves you can be an enormous benefit. Most addicts feel shame, so the more people we can tell, the less shame we'll feel and the easier it will be to get the help we need.
Talk to your family doctor. Even if your physician isn't familiar with Spice addiction per se, she should be able to help you locate a specialist and can potentially refer you for mental health counseling.
Call an Addiction helpline. Counselors in the field are becoming increasingly familiar with Spice and have received training in its effects. Calling a helpline and talking to an addiction specialist can be a safe way to get the help and support you need.
Marijuana Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous would be great places to start.
Talk to your family or friends. If you have a trusted friend and family member you can turn, he or she could put you in touch with a counselor or help you make plans for treatment if you're unable to do it yourself. Most importantly, knowing that someone is there for you and loves you can be an enormous benefit. Most addicts feel shame, so the more people we can tell, the less shame we'll feel and the easier it will be to get the help we need.
Talk to your family doctor. Even if your physician isn't familiar with Spice addiction per se, she should be able to help you locate a specialist and can potentially refer you for mental health counseling.
Call an Addiction helpline. Counselors in the field are becoming increasingly familiar with Spice and have received training in its effects. Calling a helpline and talking to an addiction specialist can be a safe way to get the help and support you need.
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