What is it?  And what are the dangers? 

“Spice” is used to describe a diverse family of herbal mixtures marketed under many names, including K2, fake marijuana, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks, and others.  These products contain dried, shredded plant material and presumably, chemical additives that are responsible for their psychoactive (mind-altering) effects. 

Some Spice products are sold as “incense” but resemble potpourri rather than popular, more familiar incense products (common forms include short cones or long, thin sticks).  Like marijuana, Spice is abused mainly by smoking.  Sometimes Spice is mixed with marijuana or is prepared as an herbal infusion for drinking. 

Presently, there are no large-scale studies on the effects of Spice on human health or behavior.  The cannabinoids found in Spice bind to the same receptors as THC; however, some of them bind more strongly to the receptors, which could lead to a much more powerful and unpredictable effect.