Commonly Abused Drugs
Review this page which describes the acute effects and the health risks of both legal and illegal drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice)
A wide variety of herbal mixtures containing
man-made cannabinoid chemicals related to THC in marijuana but often
much stronger and more dangerous. Sometimes misleadingly cal"synthetic marijuana" and marketed as a "natural," "safe," legal
alternative to marijuana.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K2, Spice, Black Mamba, Bliss, Bombay Blue, Fake Weed, Fire, Genie, Moon Rocks, Skunk, Smacked, Yucatan, Zohai | No commercial uses | Dried, shredded plant material that looks like potpourri and is sometimes sold as "incense" | Smoked, swallowed (brewed as tea) | I |
| Possible Health Effects | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term | Increased heart rate; vomiting; agitation; confusion; hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia; increased blood pressure and reduced blood supply to the heart; heart attack. | |||
| Long-term | Unknown. | |||
| Other Health-related Issues | Use of synthetic cannabinoids has led to an increase in emergency room visits in certain areas. | |||
| In Combination with Alcohol | Unknown. | |||
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Headaches, anxiety, depression, irritability. | |||
| Treatment options | ||||
| Medications | There are no FDA-approved medications to treat K2/spice addiction. | |||
| Behavioral Therapies | More research is needed to find out if behavioral therapies can be used to treat synthetic cannabinoid addiction. | |||