Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)

“Spice” refers to a wide variety of herbal found in Spice as Schedule I controlled mixtures that produce experiences simi- substances, making it illegal to sell, buy, lar to marijuana (cannabis) and that are or possess them. Manufacturers of Spice marketed as “safe,” legal alternatives to products attempt to evade these legal re- that drug. Sold under many names, in- strictions by substituting different chem- cluding K2, fake weed, Yucatan Fire, icals in their mixtures, while the DEA Skunk, Moon Rocks, and others—and la- continues to monitor the situation beled “not for human consumption”— and evaluate the need for updating the these products contain dried, shredded list of banned cannabinoids. plant material and chemical additives that are responsible for their psychoac- Spice products are popular among young tive (mind-altering) effects. people; of the illicit drugs most used by high-school seniors, they are second only to marijuana. (They are more popular False Advertising among boys than girls—in 2012, nearly twice as many male 12th graders report- Labels on Spice products often claim ed past-year use of synthetic marijuana that they contain “natural” psycho- as females in the same age group.) Easy active material taken from a variety access and the misperception that Spice of plants. Spice products do contain products are “natural” and therefore harmless have likely contributed to their dried plant material, but chemical popularity. Another selling point is that analyses show that their active in- the chemicals used in Spice are not easily gredients are synthetic (or designer) detected in standard drug tests. cannabinoid compounds. Past-Year Use of Illicit Drugs by High School Seniors (percent) For several years, Spice mixtures have Marijuana/Hashish been easy to purchase in head shops and 36.4 Synthec Marijuana gas stations and via the Internet. Be- 11.3 Hallucinogens 4.8 cause the chemicals used in Spice have a Salvia high potential for abuse and no medical 4.4 MDMA (Ecstasy) 3.8 benefit, the Drug Enforcement Admin- Cocaine istration (DEA) has designated the five 2.7 active chemicals most frequently 0 20 40 SOURCE: University of Michigan, 2012 Monitoring the Future Study

Spice (Synthetic Marijuana) • December 2012 • Page 1 How Is Spice Abused? Spice, however, bind more strongly to those receptors, which could lead to a Some Spice products are sold as “in- much more powerful and unpredictable cense,” but they more closely resemble effect. Because the chemical composition potpourri. Like marijuana, Spice is of many products sold as Spice is un- abused mainly by smoking. Sometimes known, it is likely that some varieties al- Spice is mixed with marijuana or is pre- so contain substances that could cause pared as an herbal infusion for drinking. dramatically different effects than the user might expect.

What Are the Other Health Effects of Spice?

Spice abusers who have been taken to Poison Control Centers report symptoms that include rapid heart rate, vomiting, agitation, confusion, and hallucinations. Spice can also raise blood pressure and cause reduced blood supply to the heart (myocardial ischemia), and in a few cas- K2, a popular brand of “Spice” mixture. es it has been associated with heart at- tacks. Regular users may experience

withdrawal and addiction symptoms. How Does Spice Affect the Brain?

We still do not know all the ways Spice Spice users report experiences similar to may affect human health or how toxic it those produced by marijuana—elevated may be, but one public health concern is mood, relaxation, and altered percep- that there may be harmful heavy metal tion—and in some cases the effects are residues in Spice mixtures. Without fur- even stronger than those of marijuana. ther analyses, it is difficult to determine Some users report psychotic effects like whether this concern is justified. extreme anxiety, paranoia, and hallucina-

tions. Learn More

So far, there have been no scientific stud- For additional information on Spice, see ies of Spice’s effects on the human brain, http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/attache but we do know that the cannabinoid ments.cfm/att_80086_EN_Spice%20The compounds found in Spice products act matic%20paper%20— on the same cell receptors as THC, the %20final%20version.pdf primary psychoactive component of ma-

rijuana. Some of the compounds found in

Spice (Synthetic Marijuana) • December 2012 • Page 2