K2 and Spice are simply two of the numerous trade names or
brands for synthetic designer drugs that are intended
to mimic THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient of
marijuana. These designer synthetic drugs are from
the synthetic cannabinoid class of drugs that are often
marketed and sold beneath the guise of ?herbal incense?
or ?potpourri.?
Synthetic cannabinoids are not organic, but are
chemical compounds created in a laboratory. Since
2009, law enforcement has encountered a huge selection of
different synthetic cannabinoids that are being sold as
?legal? alternatives to marijuana. These products are
being abused because of their psychoactive properties and so are
packaged without information concerning their health and
safety risks.
Synthetic cannabinoids are sold at small
convenience stores, head shops, gas stations, and
via the web from both domestic and international

sources. The products are labeled ?not for
human consumption? in an attempt to shield the
manufacturers, distributors, and retail sellers from
criminal prosecution. This sort of marketing is nothing
more than a means to make dangerous, psychoactive
substances widely available to the public.
WHAT IS ITS ORIGIN?
Almost all synthetic cannabinoids are
stated in Asia without manufacturing
requirements or quality control standards. The majority
powdered chemical is smuggled into the United States
typically as misbranded imports and have no legitimate
medical or industrial use.
What exactly are common street names?
There are many street names of synthetic
cannabinoids as drug manufacturers make an effort to appeal to
and entice youth and adults by labeling these
products with exotic and extravagant packaging.
A few 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 look like?
These chemical compounds are usually 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 technique is done without
pharmaceutical-grade chemical purity standards, or any
concern for the user. It ignores any control mechanisms
that would serve to ensure a uniform concentration of
the powerful and dangerous drugs within each
package. The disregard for the 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 designed to be used in
e-cigarette or other vaping devices.
K2/Spice
K2/Spice
Department of Justice/Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Fact Sheet
How is it 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 exactly are its overdose effects?
Severe adverse effects have already 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 has also been reported by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Which drugs cause similar effects?
Synthetic cannabinoids are marketed alternatively
to THC, the main psychoactive constituent of
marijuana, nonetheless they are a lot 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 associated with use 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 and poison centers have issued
warnings in response to adverse health effects
connected with abuse of herbal incense products
containing these synthetic cannabinoids. These
adverse 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 numerous public health insurance and poison
centers that have similarly issued warnings
regarding the abuse of the synthetic cannabinoids.
In some instances, the adverse health effects can
be long-lasting even with the user quits utilizing the
substances.
What is its legal status in america?
These substances haven't any accepted medical used in
the United States and have been reported to create
adverse health effects. Currently, 43 substances are
specifically listed as Schedule I substances beneath the
Controlled Substances Act either through legislation
or regulatory action. In addition there are many
other synthetic cannabinoids that meet the definition
for ?cannabimimetic agent? under the Controlled
Substances Act and therefore are Schedule I substances.
There are lots of synthetic cannabinoid substances
that are being sold as ? SPICE K2 ,? ?potpourri,? and other
products that aren't controlled substances. However,
synthetic cannabinoids could be subject to prosecution
under the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement