Drug Education Articles
DRUG EDUCATION ARTICLES
Spice and K2, Dangerous Drugs Sold as Incense and Popourri
The Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 was passed into law as part of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, banning the synthetic compounds commonly found in synthetic marijuana ("K2" or "Spice"), synthetic stimulants ("Bath Salts"), and other hallucinogens. As of Oct 1, 2012, many of the synthetic chemical compounds in these drugs are now illegal to manufacture, possess or sale in the US. Also, numerous states have passed laws making these drugs controlled substances and subject to fines and/or jail time.
Spice, also known as K2, has been found to be a mixture of various plant leaves and stems that have been laced with synthetic chemicals and these can be toxic to the human mind and body. These new types of synthesized chemicals (cannabimimetic agents) were designed to recreate the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, but these chemicals can be hundreds of times more powerful than marijuana and can lead to psychotic episodes, permanent mental damage and death.
Spice was being marketed as "potpourri" or "incense", claiming it was "not for human consumption" while it was really being consumed and ingested as a drug. It was also sold under a variety of names including Zohai, Genie, K3, Bliss, Nice, Black Mamba, Incense, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks and even fake weed. The colorful packaging and suggestive names seemed to target teenagers or young adults.
Since these drugs appeared to be "legal" and appeared to be similar to marijuana, the consumers may have falsely believed that they were safe but that was not true. These synthetic drugs have been known to cause: acute anxiety or paranoia, panic attacks, a feeling of alienation/disassociation from the world, hallucinations, constant coughing, feelings of nausea or actual vomiting, inability to hold a thought for longer than a few seconds, irregular heart beat/palpitations, loss of concentration, psychotic episodes, tremors or seizures.
Spice is believed to the cause of numerous violent incidents and deaths that have been reported in the media. Some of the stories are listed below:
In Indiana, a man beat his father to death while robbing him for money for spice.
Also, a 17-year-old had to be shot by his grandmother when he became violent while under the influence of Spice.
In Sioux City, Iowa, a teenager shot and killed himself while having a spice induced panic attack.
Also, an Anderson University basketball player collapsed and died during a pre-season warm-up after ingesting K2.
Although the new law is a good first step towards regulating these dangerous drugs, enforcement will still remain a problem, therefore there will be a need for more drug education and prevention programs to educate the public on the negative effects of these drugs.
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