Last updated : December 16, 2024
Synthetic marijuana, a drug known by many names including Spice, K2 and Blaze, has been growing in popularity in recent years for many reasons.
There’s no need to visit a street corner drug dealer to find these drugs because despite a 2012 federal ban on five of its key chemical ingredients, synthetic pot manufacturers have continuously changed the ingredients enough so that the substances may still be sold legally at gas stations or head shops. Synthetic pot is also favored by parolees, student athletes, members of the military and those who face drug testing as a condition of employment because the active chemicals used to make them cannot be detected through standard testing methods.
But these types of synthetic marijuana are nothing like the real thing when it comes to how the substance treats its user, with known adverse effects including everything from tremors, vomiting and paranoia to seizures, strokes and brain damage. Some users of synthetic pot have even lost their lives in their quest for what they thought was a safe and legal high.
Even now, relatively little is understood about how exactly these drugs that are marketed as marijuana substitutes affect a user’s brain. What is known about synthetic pot is how differently its active chemicals interact with the CB1 receptors in the brain, receptors that are responsible for the proper functioning of gastrointestinal and cardiac systems, as well as other systems working throughout the body. The active ingredients in synthetic pot are capable of activating these receptors so they are operating at maximum levels, while THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, achieves only partial activation of the CB1 receptors. Researchers believe it is the difference in the way the active chemicals bind with CB1 brain receptors that cause the unexpected and sometimes life-threatening side effects that have been linked to synthetic pot use.
Adding to the growing problem associated with this supposed ganja stand-in is the fact that the recipe for these mixtures is ever-changing, so it is nearly impossible to know what harmful chemicals are included in any given compound, or how it might affect the user. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, users of synthetic marijuana brands like Spice or K2 have reported effects much like those that come with marijuana use, such as an improved outlook, a more relaxed attitude and altered perception, but not all users reported a pleasant outcome. Some experienced an unusually high level of anxiousness after using synthetic pot, and others exhibited bouts of paranoia or reported hallucinations after use.
Lewis Nelson, MD, who works in the Division of Medical Toxicology at NYU’s Department of Emergency Medicine, has seen his share of patients who have sought medical attention for smoking too much marijuana as well as people in need of treatment after overdosing on the synthetic variety. Lewis classified pot smokers as fairly good natured, calm, and even humorous at times, but those who have used too much synthetic marijuana tend to be distressed, sweaty and irritated – similar to the symptoms Lewis has seen in amphetamine users.
The dangers associated with synthetic cannabis have prompted some medial professionals, like emergency room doctor and medical toxicologist Jeff Lapoint, MD, to suggest legalizing marijuana as a way to put an end to the synthetic pot industry for good.
