Spice, Spice Diamond, Spice Gold, K2, Mr. Smiley, Skunk, Yucatan Fire, Red X Dawn, Blaze. Exotic sounding names for an extremely dangerous drug: synthetic marijuana — a supposedly “legal” high that’s sending our children to the emergency room in record numbers. Spice and K2 are the most common terms for this fake weed that is 10x more potent and thus far more dangerous than the real thing.
Why Spice/K2 Appeals to Teens
Teens are getting super high on this emerging drug. Easy access and the misperception that Spice products are “natural” and therefore harmless have contributed to their popularity. Another selling point is that the chemicals used in Spice are not easily detected in standard drug tests.
What Is Spice/K2?
Spice is made of a plant material that is sprayed with synthetic chemicals intended to have a psychoactive effect. The chemicals can include anything from pesticides to poison to heavy metals. The plant material is then marketed as an “herbal incense product” that creates a legal high. Smoking Spice is playing Russian Roulette with the brain, and one hit can kill.
These herbal products are relatively new. They were originally available in 2004 in several European countries. By late 2008, synthetic cannabinoids were identified in the United States.
Despite warnings on the label that read “not for human consumption” young people are smoking Spice in a search of an intense, legal high.
Note: Spice/K2 products are labeled “not for human consumption” to mask their intended purpose and avoid Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory oversight of the manufacturing process.
Synthetic Weed Is NOT Like Pot…
Synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-018) mimic the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Both compounds bind to the CB1 receptors, which primarily affect the central nervous system. JWH-018 also binds to the peripheral brain (CB2) receptors, which are involved in the immune system.
Thus you’d expect Spice/K2 to produce effects similar to real marijuana, including sleepiness, relaxation, reduced blood pressure, and at high doses, hallucinations and delusions. Instead, symptoms such as agitation and elevated blood pressure and heart rates don’t match up with marijuana.
Why Spice/K2 Is More Dangerous than Natural Weed
Users incorrectly assume that since the ingredients are “natural herbs” that Spice is safe, but is not. Synthetic cannabinoids produce a combination of adverse effects that resemble intoxication from THC. However, synthetic cannabinoids appear to be more potent and may stay active in the body longer than THC.
It’s about 10 times stronger than marijuana, so kids can easily get higher than they intend.
There are also unpredictable contaminants in these products since they are manufactured illicitly.
Needless to say, there is no quality control in the manufacture of Spice/K2. You can’t know for sure what’s being sold as Spice. The five chemicals most often used in making it are FDA-designated controlled substances. But what’s in one package may be different from what’s in the next.
Spice/K2 Is Much Too Easy for Teens to Get
It is easily available with no age restrictions in head shops, gas stations and even online (try Googling “spice k2” and you’ll be led to a slew of websites including amazon.com).
K2 has been sold as incense or potpourri for about $30 to $40 per three gram bag – comparable in cost to marijuana.
Even with ongoing regulatory action and enforcement, these products continue to be marketed widely to adolescents seeking a legal high with a desire to evade detection by current drug tests.
How Prevalent is Spice/K2 Use?
Spice – or fake weed – products are extremely popular among young people. Of the top illicit drugs most used by high-school seniors, they are second only to marijuana. They are more popular among boys than girls—in 2012, nearly twice as many male 12th graders reported past‐year use of synthetic marijuana as females in the same age group.
Spice is the second most used illicit drug after marijuana. Past year use by high school seniors showed 36.4 percent had used marijuana, 11.3 percent had used Spice. (Source: Monitoring the Future, 2014).
Teens who are predisposed to drug abuse are at particular risk. Synthetic cannabinoids are especially attractive to kids who are already abusing drugs and alcohol. For example, kids who have drug problems and are put on probation or are in an outpatient treatment program gravitate toward Spice because it doesn’t show up in all urine screens.
How to Tell if Your Teen is Using Spice
Look for any colorful package labeled “Spice Incense” or “K2 Incense.” The ground up herbs look like potpourri. Packets will be labeled “not for human consumption.”
It’s a big red flag if come across a colorful package labeled “Spice,” “K2 Incense” Spice Diamond, Spice Gold, K2, Mr. Smiley, Skunk, Yucatan Fire, Red X Dawn, or Blaze. The ground up herbs in the package look like potpourri. Packets will be labeled “not for human consumption.” If you find that evidence, learn about and look for the signs and symptoms of drug use here.
Drug Testing
Synthetic cannabinoids are not currently identified using routine screening tests, and the creation of new synthetic cannabinoid chemicals makes it difficult to detect them in analysis of bodily fluids (e.g., blood, serum, urine).
Crisis Signs – Why ER Visits Are on the Rise
K2 affects the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Common symptoms include anxiety/severe agitation, racing heartbeat, dangerously elevated blood pressure, pale skin, vomiting, tremors, hallucinations, paranoid behavior, seizures and/or non-responsiveness.
With regular consumption, withdrawal signs and symptoms have been observed.
Death after use of synthetic cannabinoids has also been reported.
Suggested treatment recommendations include intravenous fluids, administration of benzodiazepine medications, and possibly antipsychotic medication if symptoms are severe.
Emergency room visits due to synthetic cannabis have increased significantly. In the years 2010-2011 overall visits more than doubled from 11,406 to 28,531. Visits by males doubled from 8,830 to 19,923. And while overall numbers for females are smaller, the increase was even more dramatic, from 2,506 to 8,608. Teens aged 12-17 and 18-20 had both the largest number of ER visits and the largest increase in visits. Source: SAMHSA Drug Abuse Warning Network (2011).
Parent Talking Points
Don’t be afraid to talk candidly with your teen about the dangers of Spice/K2 and separate out the facts from the myths.
Start with something like: I’m concerned about a drug that’s being marketed as a legal high. It’s apparently very popular with teens.
Ask your teen:
- Have you heard of Spice/K2? What have you heard?
- Do you know the difference between Spice/K2 and marijuana?
- Did you know that Spice/K2 is 10 times more potent than marijuana?
- If your teen claims that Spice/K2 is natural and legal –
- Point out that it may be legal to purchase but is clearly labeled “not for human consumption.”
- Point out that the high from Spice/K2 is not natural, it comes from harmful chemicals sprayed on natural ingredients and you never know which ones you’re getting
Talk about the danger signs of Spice/K2 use:
- Natural marijuana typically makes the user mellow and relaxed, lowers blood pressure and does not cause vomiting.
- Synthetic marijuana (Spice/K2) can cause a host of scary symptoms such as agitation, racing heartbeat, pale skin, vomiting, tremors, hallucinations, paranoid behavior, seizures and/or non-responsiveness.
- Emphasize the seriousness of these symptoms: If you see a friend exhibiting any of these symptoms get them to the Emergency Room ASAP. Spice/K2 is very dangerous. It can even cause death.