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K2 and Spice are simply two of the many trade names or

brands for synthetic designer drugs that are intended

to mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of

marijuana. These designer synthetic drugs are from

the synthetic cannabinoid class of drugs which are often

marketed and sold beneath the guise of ?herbal incense?

or ?potpourri.?

Synthetic cannabinoids aren’t organic, but are

chemical compounds created in a laboratory. Since

2009, police has encountered hundreds of

different synthetic cannabinoids which are being sold as

?legal? alternatives to marijuana. The products are

being abused for his or her psychoactive properties and are

packaged without information as to their health and

safety risks.

Synthetic cannabinoids can be purchased at small

convenience stores, head shops, gasoline stations, and

via the Internet from both domestic and international

sources. These products are labeled ?not for

human consumption? in an attempt to shield the

manufacturers, distributors, and retail sellers from

criminal prosecution. This type of marketing is nothing

more than a means to make dangerous, psychoactive

substances accessible to the public.

WHAT’S ITS ORIGIN?

The vast majority of synthetic cannabinoids are

stated in Asia without manufacturing

requirements or quality control standards. The bulk

powdered chemical is smuggled in to the United States

typically as misbranded imports and also have no legitimate

medical or industrial use.

What exactly are common street names?

There are many street names of synthetic

cannabinoids as drug manufacturers try to appeal to

and entice youth and young adults by labeling these

products with exotic and extravagant packaging.

Some of the many street names of K2/Spice synthetic

marijuana are:

? ?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.

What does it appear to be?

These chemical compounds are generally found in

bulk powder form, and then dissolved in solvents, such

as acetone, before being put on dry plant material

to make the ?herbal incense? products. After local

distributors apply the drug to the dry plant material, they

package it for retail distribution. As these products have

no accepted medical use, this process is done without

pharmaceutical-grade chemical purity standards, or any

concern for the user. It ignores any control mechanisms

that would serve to make sure a uniform concentration of

the powerful and dangerous drugs contained in each

package. The disregard for the general public?s safety and

often encountered ?hot spots? in the drug packaging can

create a user ingesting an extremely concentrated portion

of the drugs without their knowledge, often resulting in

serious adverse health effects. The bulk powder can

also be dissolved in solution intended to be used in

e-cigarette or other vaping devices.

K2/Spice

K2 /Spice

Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration

Drug Fact Sheet

How could it be abused?

Spraying or mixing the synthetic cannabinoids on

plant material offers a vehicle for the most common

route of administration – smoking (utilizing a pipe, a

water pipe, or rolling the drug-laced plant material

in cigarette papers). In addition to the cannabinoids

laced on plant material and sold as potpourri and

incense, liquid cannabinoids have been designed to

be vaporized through both disposable and reusable

electronic cigarettes.

What are its overdose effects?

Severe adverse effects have been attributed to the

abuse of synthetic cannabinoids, including nausea,

vomiting, agitation, anxiety, seizures, stroke, coma,

and death by coronary attack or organ failure. Acute

kidney injury requiring hospitalization and dialysis in

several patients reportedly having smoked synthetic

cannabinoids in addition has been reported by the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which drugs cause similar effects?

Synthetic cannabinoids are marketed as a substitute

to THC, the primary psychoactive constituent of

marijuana, however they are much more potent and

have been shown to cause side effects which are more

severe than those reported from THC.

What is its effect on the mind?

Acute psychotic episodes, dependence, and

withdrawal are connected with usage of these synthetic

cannabinoids. Some individuals have suffered from

intense hallucinations. Other effects include severe

agitation, disorganized thoughts, paranoid delusions,

and violence after smoking products laced with one of these

substances.

What is its influence on the body?

State public health insurance and poison centers have issued

warnings in response to adverse health effects

associated with abuse of herbal incense products

containing these synthetic cannabinoids. These

undesireable effects included tachycardia (elevated heart

rate), elevated blood circulation pressure, unconsciousness,

tremors, seizures, vomiting, hallucinations, agitation,

anxiety, pallor, numbness, and tingling. That is in

addition to the many public health insurance and poison

centers which have similarly issued warnings

regarding the abuse of these synthetic cannabinoids.

In some instances, the adverse health effects can

be long-lasting even after the user quits using the

substances.

What’s its legal status in america?

These substances have no accepted medical use in

the United States and have been reported to create

adverse health effects. Currently, 43 substances are

specifically listed as Schedule I substances under the

Controlled Substances Act either through legislation

or regulatory action. In addition there are many

other synthetic cannabinoids that meet up with the definition

for ?cannabimimetic agent? beneath the Controlled

Substances Act and thus are Schedule I substances.

There are several synthetic cannabinoid substances

that are for sale as ?incense,? ?potpourri,? and other

products that are not controlled substances. However,

synthetic cannabinoids could be subject to prosecution

beneath the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement