BLOG

A new research study on synthetic marijuana has resulted in a scientific article that has been published detailing just how harmful these drugs can be and outlining the research associated with these designer drugs. Synthetic marijuana can be found under many names, including Spice and K2, and these designer drugs are typically illegal under US law. First appearing for sale in the early 2000s synthetic marijuana became popular because users experienced a high similar to using natural marijuana but the synthetic versions did not appear during drug screens and substance abuse testing. Many people who previously used the natural form of this drug switched to the synthetic versions in order to pass employment or court ordered drug screening. The synthetic versions of marijuana can be much more potent, and that has created health concerns and a number of medical complications for people who use them.

According to the research study and the published article on synthetic marijuana the components in the synthetic product acts on the same exact brain cell receptors that THC does, however the synthetic versions are more powerful. The studies show that synthetic marijuana products can cause seizures, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing and a lower respiratory rate, chest pain, acute renal failure, cognitive impairment, agitation, high blood pressure, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and even psychosis in some people. Under US law most synthetic marijuana products are illegal and the sale of these substances are banned. Underground chemists and clandestine labs have bypassed these prohibitions by changing the chemical structure of the synthetic marijuana though, and law enforcement may require time to catch up after a new synthetic drug with a changed molecular structure hits the streets.