“‘Spice’ or ‘K2’ is a psychoactive plant that is sprayed with synthetic chemicals which can induce dissassociative effects and is a potent producer of visions, other hallucinatory experiences and can cause long term psychosis.”
That statement can be found on a change.org petition that was started by the mother of a teenager in Maryland USA who was normal one day, tried synthetic marijuana the next and has never recovered, as the young man continues to battle psychotic episodes and suicidal ideations.
Spice is a synthetic form of marijuana sold legally in many states in the U.S., through head shops, gas stations and online. This, sometimes legal, form of marijuana has proven to be more harmful than natural marijuana as the long-term effects can be life threatening.
The psychoactive herbal and chemical substances are typically sold in a variety of stores and marketed there and online as herbal incense or potpourri. Considered a designer drug, the dried plant material is sprayed by makers with synthetic cannabinoids and a mixture of other unknown chemicals including pesticides and rat poison.
American officials advise that the chemicals stimulate brain areas affected by marijuana, and users sometimes opt for the marijuana alternative because they believe they are safe.
According to U.S. authorities, synthetic marijuana users typically experience rapid heart rate, nausea, vomiting, agitation, confusion, lethargy, hallucinations and even worse symptoms.
Last year, the potent, deadly synthetic cannabinoid sent 2,300 people to emergency rooms in New York state during August and September alone.
Synthetic marijuana, “Spice,” confiscated by Police in Alabama recently. The potpourri substance, along with the package it came in—marketed as a
“botanical sachet” and called “Crazy Monkey” along with a pack of cigarillos, used to smoke the illegal substance. A plastic soft drink bottle was also in the evidence bag and was used as a bong.
CANADA
In Canada, oil workers have reportedly used this herbal narcotic for years in order to mimic the mind-altering effects of weed, without having to worry about failing urine tests designed to detect cannabis.
The chemical-herbal mixes are designed to reproduce the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but unlike marijuana, K2 can cause seizures, vomiting, violent mood swings and organ damage.
Due to manufacturers’ ever-changing chemical recipes, its Canadian legal status remains hazy.
The lethal drug, which resembles potpourri, involves psychoactive chemicals produced in China and sprayed on dried plant material.
Although producers of the synthetic drug change the names on its packages frequently, the usual names are: Spice, K2, Sence, Genie, Zohai, Yucatan Fire, Smoke, Sexy Monkey, Black Mamba, Crazy Monkey and Skunk.
Synthetic marijuana or K2 herbal-chemical mixes contain plant material that is sprayed with toxic chemicals. (DrugAbuse.gov)
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