When was the last time you paid 50 bucks for a few grams of incense and they assured you it will be mailed discreetly?
They're only in for the money and they don't care.
Look for Signs of K2 -- 'Fake Marijuana'
Anthony Scalzo, M.D., professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University, has seen nearly 30 cases involving teenagers who were experiencing hallucinations, severe agitation, elevated heart rate and blood pressure, vomiting and, in some cases, tremors and seizures. All of these teens had smoked a dangerous, yet legal substance known as K2 or "fake weed."
Parents should be on the lookout for warning signs such as agitation, pale appearance, anxiety or confusion due to hallucinations. So if you’re a parent, be on the lookout.
"Look for dried herb residues lying around your kids' room. Chances are they are not using potpourri to make their rooms smell better or oregano to put on their pizza," Scalzo said. – Science Daily - Mar. 3, 2010
What is K2? Where is K2 Sold?
K-2 UPDATE: As of Nov 24 The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is using its emergency scheduling authority to temporarily control five chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used to make “fake pot” products.
This action will make possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the U.S. for at least one year.
Click on: "The Good, The Bad and the Not So Bright"
Sold as incense or "K2 herbal smoke" the drug K2 is known as a legal alternative to marijuana.
K2's key ingredients were invented by Dr. John Huffman at Clemson University in 1995 during medical research on the effects of cannabinoids on the brain. He found no medical benefits -- only negative side effects.
K2 Spice products' advertisements are often colorful and target children and young people who are particularly at-risk of being taking advantage of. Images of religious figures such as Jesus, Mary and Buddha smoking are often featured on the websites advertising the K2 Spice products.
Spice products are often sold as incense and advertised online as either as 'mystical incense'; or 'the perfect stuff for chilling out at home with friends' along with perfumes, cosmetics and fragrances for the house. Sometimes they are labeled not for 'human consumption', or 'not suitable for under the age of 18.
Because of their packaging, which also looks like 'incense' or 'tea', and their scented smell, Spice products are far less noticeable as drugs since the drug is not easily identified by parents.
What is known about K2?
K2 a.k.a. "Spice," "Genie," or "Zohai" are the best know brand names for synthetic cannabis, a herbal and chemical product which mimics the effects of marijuana. It is around four to ten times more potent than marijuana.
Increased agitation, panic attacks and vomiting have been noted with this drug use, and the US army has banned its use by soldiers.
When synthetic cannabis products first went on sale it was thought that they achieved an effect through a mixture of legal herbs.
Laboratory analysis in 2008 showed this was not the case and that they in fact contained synthetic cannabinoids. These act on the body in a similar way to cannabinoids naturally found in cannabis, such as THC. Synthetic cannabinoids are used in an attempt to avoid the laws which make cannabis illegal.
Professor Huffman who first synthesised many of the cannabinoids used in synthetic cannabis is quoted as saying, "People who use it are idiots. You don't know what it's going to do to you."
One of the greatest dangers involved in buying K2 stems from the fact that it's an unregulated mixture of who knows what.
In a statement, Dr. Huffman said the chemicals were not intended for human use. He added that his lab had developed them for research purposes only, and that “their effects in humans have not been studied and they could very well have toxic effects.”
It is sold under various brand names, online, in head shops, in smoke shops and gas stations.
It is marketed as an incense or "herbal smoking blend", but the products are usually smoked by users. Because it is not intended for consumption, there are no age limits on buying K2 or "Spice K2" and it is being purchased by everyone from teenagers to aging hippies.
It is generally smoked with the same kind of smoking accessories used for non-legal products, and the cost of K2 is generally $30 to $40 per pack thanks to interest in this new drug.
In a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer Chris Goldstein, spokesman for the Philadelphia Chapter for the National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws (NORML), warns that nobody really knows what is included in each packet of incense. Because it is not regulated by the FDA or DEA it can be sold as a "proprietary blend" and not list ingredients on the package.
"I would not recommend anyone touching this stuff," Goldstein said. "Samples have come back testing positive for formaldehyde, vitamin E and acetone. At least with real marijuana you can tell if it's tainted by looking at it.
"This stuff is like setting a plastic spoon on fire and inhaling."
Though packets of the incense are typically marked "not for human consumption," they are sold with a "wink and a nod," said Barbara Carreno, a spokeswoman for the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
"When was the last time you paid 50 bucks for a few grams of incense and they assured you it will be mailed discreetly?" Carreno said. "The manufacturers and distributors, they're only in for the money and they don't care."
Although synthetic cannabis does not produce positive results in drug tests for cannabis, it is possible to detect its metabolites in human urine.
The synthetic cannabinoids contained in synthetic cannabis products have been made illegal in many European countries, but remain legal under federal law in the USA and Canada. Several US states have made it illegal under state law.
Other Names
Herbal products containing synthetic cannabinoids have included Spice Gold, Spice Silver, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Sence, Chill X, Smoke, Genie, Algerian Blend and many others. These products may already be obsolete, since the Internet market is rapidly evolving.
Links:
Philadelphia Inquirer - Sep. 29, 2010 - Pa. House passes bill to outlaw ‘synthetic marijuana’ http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20100929_Pa__House_passes_bill_to_outlaw_synthetic_marijuana.html#ixzz11aZ9APdr
NY Times - July 10, 2010 - Synthetic Marijuana Spurs State Bans
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/us/11k2.html?_r=1&src=me
Science Daily - Mar. 3, 2010 - Toxicologist Warning to Parents: Look for Signs of K2 -- 'Fake Marijuana'
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100303092405.htm
CNN - March 02, 2010 - 'K2' poses dangers and should be illegal
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-02/opinion/fay.ban.k2_1_thc-k2-marijuana?_s=PM:OPINION
Psychoactive drug or mystical incense? Overview of the online available information on Spice products - International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, Volume 2, Issue 2 December 2009
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a918041251~frm=titlelink
Wikipedia - Synthetic Cannabis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_cannabis
K2, Spice, Yucatan Fire, Sence, Chill X, Genie - What is it?
Posted by:Rocco--Sunday, October 03, 2010
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8 comments:
There are actually only 4 original k2 blends: K2 Summit, K2 Blonde, K2 Ultra, and K2 Sex. The rest(ie. Blue, Strawberry, Peach, amongst a ton of others) are counterfeit.
Is this similar to Salvia? I've only recently learned of this, and frankly am astounded that you can actually walk into a store and walk out with some!
Okay - I may be dumb as a door but did anybody else catch this?
"Increased agitation, panic attacks and vomiting have been noted with this drug use, and the US army has banned its use by soldiers." Banned by the use of its soldiers?! What DO they permit their soldiers to smoke? Gah!
Well K2 is here in Pittsburgh folks. My son has used it and the kids at his high school use it. He told me one of the places it could be purchased so I went there to check it out. In this mom and pop corner store a few doors down from a high school in downtown Pittsburgh, K2 is sold as 'incense' and can be purchased in two different size cylindrical containers that are about as big as an old 35mm film container. Small size sells for $12 and large size for $20 so its quite affordable. My son tells me that different places sell different kinds, some look like sticks and some like dried plant leaves/seeds. He says some packages have some kind of labeling on them that indicates they have obtained or passed some type of government safety measure, but I did not see this at the one store I went to.
When I asked my son about his experience using it he said he "cut it with alcohol." Used it three times and didn't seem think any of them had been particularly enjoyable.
Dear Anonymous: What does the U.S. Army permit their soldiers to use??? Maybe you have heard of them and probably tries yourself. Tobacco and alcohol. Two of the most addictive killer drugs available to the public.
Army Soldiers returned from Kuwait hooked on Spice. Really wonder about the ARMY!
Thank you Ralph and Rocco for giving us factual and therefore useful information on two important subjects. We need as much help as we can get while dealing with this serious thing called addiction.
I like the straight forward way you start your post, Rocco...."They're only in for the money, and they don't care." You are right, they would sell K2 'poison' to babies if they could make a buck of it. You are my very talented and competent comrade in this war on drugs.
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