Author: Gary Jackson

Synthetic Cannabinoids National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA

Smoking K2/Spice is the most common way that people use this drug. They roll the material into handmade cigarettes or put it into pipes and smoke it. People also buy K2 vape juice to use in electronic cigarettes and other devices. Some users make K2 tea by adding the drug to herbal tea or they sprinkle it into the batter of baked goods to make edibles. There’s simply very little research into the drug and the chemicals used in it. And there’s some evidence that repeated use can cause users to develop a tolerance to K2.

A variety of factors can cause someone to abuse Synthetic Marijuana. First, Synthetic Marijuana is easily accessible and found at gas stations and corner stores across the country. Some believe Synthetic Marijuana is a safer substitute for Marijuana because it is sold legally and marketed as a natural substance. Additionally, Synthetic Marijuana is typically cheaper than actual Marijuana, making it more widely available.

K2: What Is It? Who Uses It? And Why Is It So Dangerous?

Drugs like K2 are often marked as a safe alternative to marijuana, though this is not the case; the effects of K2 can be unpredictable and dangerous. K2 is a kind of synthetic cannabinoid that is also known as Spice. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), K2 and other synthetic cannabinoids are manmade chemicals that can alter a person’s mental state.

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• Some users make K2 tea by adding the drug to herbal tea or they sprinkle it into the batter of baked goods to make edibles.
• Between 2009 and 2015 calls to Poison Control Centers referencing K2 jumped from 14 to 3,572.
• During the late 1980s and early 1990s scientists began manufacturing compounds that mimicked the physiological effects of cannabinoids.
• Within a few years, multiple states passed laws banning the sale of K2, Spice and similar drugs.
• Treatment frequently involves a combination of psychotherapies and pharmacological therapies to address the addiction’s physical and psychological aspects.

These drugs are often marketed as incense and designed to look harmless. The artwork on the packaging typically skews toward cartoon characters and brightly colored designs. Weekly cannabis use before the age of 18 has been linked with lower performance on IQ tests and deficits in attentional processing. The addiction of one family member has a great effect on other family members, and the dynamics in a family can influence both the onset and progression of a family member’s addiction. Consequences of polydrug use with K2 can be speculated based on drug interactions with marijuana.

Signs of K2 addiction

A person can inhale vaporized K2 using an e-cigarette or other devices. Nova Recovery Center is dedicated to helping you or your loved one get help. Please call or fill out this form for a confidential consultation. One of our understanding, dedicated advisors will contact you about your options. We are happy to help answer your questions personally and promptly.

• They are sold in small packages labeled as incense, potpourri, or herbal blends with a disclaimer stating their contents aren’t intended for human consumption.
• Depending on the type of Synthetic Marijuana being used, and the individual’s tolerance for the substance, side effects can vary substantially.
• One of our understanding, dedicated advisors will contact you about your options.
• Synthetic Marijuana, sold as ‘spice,’ first appeared in Europe in 2004 and the U.S. in 2008.
• In 2018 New Haven, Connecticut, saw 95 reported overdoses over the course of two days.
• Addiction is a chronic illness, not a passing condition like a wound which will heal by itself.

Some of the most common treatment options include the following. In terms of long term management of chronic synthetic cannabinoid or K2 use, psychotherapeutic interventions used to treat other substance misuse disorders could be used to treat the issue. As such, some researchers believe this drug holds promise in treatment of K2 withdrawal.

Effects of K2

In some instances, people market these drugs as a safe, legal alternative to cannabis. However, these drugs are often not safe and can affect the brain more powerfully than cannabis. However, K2 drugs can be dangerous and lead to serious side effects, including vomiting and a rapid heart rate. K2 withdrawal symptoms don’t have to keep you from achieving a sustainable lifestyle of sobriety.

It also believed that some Spice mixtures contain harmful heavy metal residues. To use K2 or Spice, most people smoke it in joints, pipes, or prepare it in an herbal tea. Some users may also mix it with marijuana or purchase a liquid form of it and smoke it with e-cigarettes. Adolescent abusers of this product are particularly vulnerable to psychosis because of over-activation of the cannabinoid system in their developing brains.

Teen K2 Abuse and Addiction

We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand. When a person calls this number, they will speak with a specially trained nurse, pharmacist, or doctor who can help assist them in the event of poisoning. The helpline can also connect a person to their local poison center.