What is Spice/K2?
Spice/K2 is a mixture of herbs and spices with effects similar to marijuana. It arrived on the market in 2008 as a widely-available alternative to marijuana. Spice/K2 is typically sprayed with synthetic compounds chemically similar to THC. The synthetic drug was deemed unsafe and is currently illegal.
What does Spice/K2 look like?
Spice/K2 resembles potpourri and typically comes in small, silvery plastic bags of dried leaves.
How is Spice/K2 abused?
Spice/K2 is smoked in joints/pipes or brewed into a tea.
How does Spice/K2 affect a person?
Spice/K2 attaches and binds more strongly to the same cell receptors as THC. This can lead to a much more powerful and unpredictable effect. Because the chemical composition of many products sold as Spice/K2 are unknown, some varieties may contain substances which produce dramatically different effects than the user might expect.
The effects of Spice/K2 include relaxation and altered perception. It can cause psychotic effects such as extreme anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations.
What are the health effects/risks of using Spice/K2?
Spice/K2 can cause rapid heart rate/blood pressure, vomiting, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, myocardial ischemia and heart attack. Regular users can experience addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
Contrary to popular belief, Spice/K2 is not a safe alternative to marijuana. The chemicals used for the production of synthetic pot can be more potent than natural THC and may have more dangerous side effects.
