The use of synthetic marijuana has been a problem for quite some time now, but it still remains to be a popular product among those who are looking to have the same “high” as what marijuana can provide. Synthetic marijuana, also popular by the names K2, Spice and Kronik, has found wide acceptance among drug users due to its availability and affordability.
Synthetic marijuana usually comes in small foil or plastic bags. This is a mixture of various dried leaves from traditional herbal plants as well as chemicals. They are sold as herbal blends, herbal smoke, fake weed or marijuana alternatives. K2 and Spice are two of the more popular brands of synthetic marijuana in the US.
Some of these herbs used to make synthetic marijuana are bean, Egyptian water lily, dwarf skullcap, Indian lotus, Indian warrior, Lion’s tail, and honey weed. The chemicals included with the drug are CP47, 477 and JWH-018. These chemicals are not listed as controlled substances. This is why manufacturers can easily market their products in the US.
The effects of using synthetic marijuana are very similar to what one would get out of smoking the real marijuana, although large dosage may cause vomiting and increased agitation. These are negative effects not noted in marijuana users. There may be no hard evidence yet showing the harmful side effects of using synthetic pot. However, doctors and psychiatrists have suggested that taking synthetic marijuana can cause addiction and possibly psychosis.
Helping people who are abusing synthetic marijuana is a tough challenge. It is hard to notice K2 and Spice addiction because most users may seem very normal in public. Another challenge is that synthetic marijuana cannot be detected by regular drug tests. Specialized drug testing methods are needed to identify users.
The best thing to do is to properly guide children who are more susceptible to the drug and prevent them from ever trying it. It is also important to provide emotional support to people who are trying to stop using this to help them succeed.
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Posted by Legal Marijuana | August 15, 2011, 3:42 pmDo you think marijuana should be legalized?
Posted by Legalizing Cannabis | August 18, 2011, 10:54 amThis article seriously understates the horrible effects of synthetic marijuana. I’ve done research on fake pot for months and can’t believe how grossly understated the effects listed are compared to the effects that have been reported to me from the dozens of people that have contacted me. Many of people have died from the effects, including hallucinations, extreme paranoid delusions, rapid heart rate, cardiac arrest, high blood pressure, seizures, convulsions, vomitting, ect. You need to reprint this article after doing your homework.
Posted by Karen | August 19, 2011, 4:01 am