Synthetic marijuana is a human-made drug that is designed to replicate the effects of THC in marijuana. For many years, synthetic marijuana was unregulated, which made it easier to obtain than other drugs; however, K2 is now classified as a new psychoactive substance (NPS). These substances contain many illegal ingredients, which have pushed chemists to evade government regulations by developing other harmful chemicals and compounds as a replacement.
K2 is often marketed as “herbal incense”, “potpourri”, or a safe alternative to marijuana. In reality, this substance is far more dangerous than marijuana because the cannabinoid-based chemicals are made in laboratories and users don’t know the potency or strength of each dose. According to the CDC, studies show that men aged 20-30 years old use spice most frequently.
Synthetic marijuana is not the same as marijuana and therefore has no medical use. Out of the few scientific studies, researchers found that K2 binds stronger than marijuana to the same cell receptors that are affected by THC, producing stronger effects. K2 can cause problems ranging from breathing troubles to psychotic episodes. In Illinois, there’s even been several cases of individuals suffering severe bleeding after using synthetic marijuana.