What Exactly is K2 Spice?
Today, a lot of people are using K2 spice or what some refer to it as “fake weed.’” K2 is a synthetic cannabinoid product consisting of a certain kind of plant material sprayed with a type of synthetic cannabinoid, which happens to be very similar to THC. The chemical formulas that make up synthetic cannabinoids are usually particularly incongruous and can result in users partaking in the abuse of synthetic marijuana to experience withdrawal symptoms, K2 addiction symptoms, and negative effects.
It’s no secret that this synthetic drug is usually put on the market labeled as safe and a good legal alternative to natural marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NDA) the side effects of K2 spice can have stronger effects, be unpredictable, and even become life-threatening, as has been seen in some cases.
There isn’t much research on how synthetic marijuana addiction affects the human brain. However, researchers do know that if you use K2, you may feel similar effects, although much stronger than if you had used traditional marijuana – which could have the high potential to cause you to have a greater risk of needing emergency room visits.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has banned about 18 synthetic chemical compounds used to make K2 spice because they have zero medical benefits, and those who use them are at a higher risk of spice abuse. Anyone with substance use disorder who uses K2 that was already sober and then used it will likely fall back into drug abuse all over again.
The risk factors associated with spice addiction are too great to ignore.
Synthetic weed happens to look somewhat similar to potpourri and it is made up of dried plant materials. Sometimes this dangerous drug is packaged in foil packaging and marketed as “fake weed” or “herbal incense” or sold in liquid form inside plastic bottles.
This type of synthetic weed is known by two most common names: K2 and spice. When people participate in drug use, particularly K2 spice use, they typically smoke it in pipes, roll it in joints, or add it to herbal tea. Some people who suffer from synthetic marijuana abuse also mix it in with their regular marijuana.
Is K2/Spice Apart of The Addictive Drugs Category?
The answer is simple: yes, K2/spice is addictive both physically and psychologically. It’s true that marijuana isn’t addictive; however, K2 and other synthetic marijuana drugs, which are all dangerous substances, can cause violent behaviors and can cause users to experience psychotic effects and psychotic episodes.
K2 isn’t in the illegal drugs category; therefore, it can be bought legally. It is also completely addictive, and it can cause you to have a high tolerance and become dependent and the use of the drug over a long period of time can cause you to become addicted to it.
A lot of the K2 packaging has a label that reads, “Not for Human Consumption.” They even claim to be made of natural materials. However, the only natural material is plant materials. The chemicals sprayed onto this new drug are made in labs.
The fact that there is easy access and the overall belief that synthetic marijuana is a safer alternative to using marijuana, a lot of young adults, and young people in general, are turning towards this abuse of synthetic marijuana in the United States.
High school seniors are more likely to say yes to using K2/spice when pressured by other students, friends, or acquaintances.
One of the main reasons people abuse spice isn’t just because of the effects of Spice but because standard drug tests cannot detect many of the chemicals found in these synthetic drugs.
Where Can You Buy Synthetic Marijuana?
In recent years, synthetic weed could be found in many shops, convenience stores, and gas stations and by ordering it online. The government found some of these chemicals toxic and had no medical use.
Therefore, there was a federal ban on synthetic marijuana, specifically K2/spice. However, the manufacturers typically alter the chemical formulas to make the synthetic weed using a different mix so it can be sold legally again.
What Side Effects Does Synthetic Marijuana Have?
The chemical makeup of K2/spice, just like all of the other kinds of synthetic weed, is not exactly known. Therefore, the physical effects of this type of drug can be extremely unpredictable and somewhat dangerous.
Synthetic marijuana has different effects than marijuana because K2 can cause extreme side effects that can cause people who use K2/spice to develop certain types of mental illness and cause uncontrollable violent behaviors.
The many different chemicals that are in K2/spice act on the exact same cell receptors that THC does, which is the active ingredient in cannabis. Researchers happen to think that the K2/spice chemicals bind a lot stronger than cannabis does – causing a much stronger effect in general.
Since these synthetic drugs cause such strong effects, many people must visit emergency rooms after using them. Medical professionals have seen a lot of people coming to the ER for having a spice abuse-related heart attack.
Here are some of the following side effects of K2:
- Feeling of relaxation
- Elevated moods
- Your perception is altered
- Rapid heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Convulsing
- Vomiting
- Feeling agitated
- Feeling confused
- Feeling anxious
- Having hallucinations
- Acting out violently
- Suicidal ideation
Here are some of the long-term effects of K2:
- Memory loss
- Feeling confused
- Becoming paralyzed
- Respiratory issues
- Damage of kidneys
- Having seizures
- Going into cardiac arrest
- Possible death
What Are The Common Symptoms of K2 Addiction?
K2, just like any other kind of drug, can quickly turn casual users into full-blown addicts who need addiction treatment or group therapy sessions like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or another type of group for addicts.
Although just about anyone on the planet can become an addict, some risk factors cause the chances of a person becoming an addict to rise when it comes to getting addicted to synthetic weed.
Here are some of the common risk factors that can cause the development of K2 addiction:
- Abused or neglected during childhood years.
- Experiencing some form of trauma.
- History of substance use
- Mental illness
- Family history of addiction or mental illness
- If you are a male (statistics have shown that males are more likely to abuse synthetic weed.)
- If you are young (statistics have shown that young people are more likely to abuse synthetic weed)
The first step to getting help is to reach out for help. Some poison centers deem synthetic weed to have detrimental environmental factors that can harm you. If you’ve been using synthetic marijuana for a long time, you may initially have difficulty with withdrawal symptoms.