By: Lakeview Health
You’ve heard the names: Spice, K2, Twisted Dreams, Fire & Ice, Blue Lotus, Black Diamond, Genie and more. This form of marijuana is generally sold as an herbal mixture intended for use as incense. The incense has been sprayed with a synthetic chemical that mimics THC or the active ingredient in marijuana. New York is not the only state to have banned the substance. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois are a few of the 36 states that have also banned the synthetic marijuana. 38 states have taken action to regulate the chemicals used in producing synthetic marijuana as well. Synthetic marijuana, the herbal incense and the chemicals used to create the synthetic marijuana, have been banned in several European countries due to health risks. The American Association of Poison Control Centers experienced a two fold jump in calls from 2010 to 2011, and the number of calls pertaining to Spice is increasing monthly. K2, Black Diamond and other forms of this synthetic marijuana have been responsible for causing:
- Irregular heart beats
- Seizures
- Psychotic episodes
- Perceptional disorders
- Hallucinations
- Panic
- Liver damage
It is considered addictive with intense psychological withdrawal symptoms similar to marijuana addiction. Sources:
