K2/Spice

WHAT IS K2?

Just two of the many trade names or brands for synthetic designer drugs intended to resemble THC – the main euphoric ingredient in marijuana – are Spice and K2 Spice Spray. These creative synthetic drugs belong to the family of narcotics known as synthetic cannabinoids, often sold and advertised as “herbal incense” or “potpourri.”
Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical substances that are created in a laboratory and are not organic. Since 2009, law enforcement has encountered hundreds of different synthetic cannabinoids marketed as “legal” substitutes for marijuana. Due to their psychotropic properties, these products are abused and the packaging lacks information about the risks to their health and safety.

Small convenience stores, head shops, gas stations and online retailers at home and abroad sell synthetic cannabinoids. The reason for labeling these products as “not intended for human consumption” is to protect the manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers from criminal prosecution. This type of marketing is simply a way to provide the general public with widespread access to potentially harmful psychoactive chemicals.

WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?

The great majority of synthetic cannabinoids are produced in Asia without regard to quality control standards or manufacturing criteria. The bulk powdered substance is illegally imported into the US usually under false pretenses and isn’t really needed for industrial or medical purposes.

What are common street names?

Drug manufacturers attempt to appeal to and seduce children and young adults by labeling these products with exotic and eye-catching packaging, resulting in a variety of street names for synthetic cannabinoids.

Spice, K2, Blaze, RedX Dawn, Paradise, Demon, Black Magic, Spike, Mr. Nice Guy, Ninja, Zohai, Dream, Genie, Sence, Smoke, Skunk, Serenity, Yucatan, Fire, Skooby Snax, and Crazy Clown are just a few of the numerous street names for K2/Spice synthetic marijuana.

What does it look like?

To make “herbal incense,” these chemical compounds are often in powder form and dissolved in solvents such as acetone before being applied to dried plant material. Local dealers package the drug for retail sale after applying it to the dry plant material. This technique is carried out without regard to the safety of the user or the purity criteria of pharmaceutical chemicals, as these goods have no recognized medical use. This ignores all safety precautions that could ensure a uniform concentration of active and dangerous substances in each container.

Due to drug packaging’s disregard for public safety and frequently observed “hot spots”, consumers are at risk of accidentally consuming a highly concentrated amount of the drug, which can have significant negative health effects. It is also possible to dissolve the amount of powder in a solution intended for use with vaping devices such as e-cigarettes.

How is it abused?

Smoking (with a pipe, water pipe, or rolling the drug-laced plant material in cigarette papers) is the most popular method of administration, and it can be facilitated by spraying or combining synthetic cannabinoids with plant material. Apart from the cannabinoids infused in plants and marketed as incense and potpourri, liquid cannabinoids are also intended to be inhaled using disposable and reusable electronic cigarettes.

What are its overdose effects?

Abuse of synthetic cannabinoids has been linked to serious side effects such as agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, stroke, coma and death from heart attack or organ failure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also reported that a number of patients who smoked synthetic cannabinoids suffered acute kidney injury that required hospitalization and dialysis.

Which drugs cause similar effects?

Although THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is being replaced by synthetic cannabinoids, which are far more potent and proven to cause more serious negative effects than THC itself.

What is its effect on the mind?

Consumption of these synthetic cannabis derivatives is associated with dependence, withdrawal symptoms and acute psychotic episodes. Some people have experienced severe hallucinations. Other side effects of smoking products laced with these chemicals include extreme agitation, thought disorders, paranoid delusions and violent outbursts.

What is its effect on the body?

Abuse of incense containing these synthetic cannabinoids has been linked to negative health effects, prompting government health and poison regulators to issue warnings. These side effects included paleness, numbness, tingling, restlessness, hallucinations, unconsciousness, tremors, seizures, tachycardia (fast heartbeat), increased blood pressure and vomiting. This is in addition to the numerous poison control and health institutes that have already issued advisories regarding the abuse of these synthetic cannabinoids.

What is its legal status in the United States?

These medications have been shown to have negative health effects and have no accepted medical use in the United States. According to the Controlled Chemicals Act, 43 chemicals are currently expressly classified as Schedule I substances by law or regulation. In addition, numerous other synthetic cannabinoids fall under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they meet the criteria for a “cannabimimetic agent.”
Many manufactured cannabis products such as “incense,” “potpourri,” and other items are marketed as uncontrolled substances. However, synthetic cannabinoids can be prosecuted if certain requirements are met.