The designer drug; synthetic marijuana – also known as Spice, Zohai, Genie, K2, Bliss, Nice, Smiley, Black Mamba, Incense, and fake weed; is rising in use among teens and young adults.  A couple of reasons for this are: 1. synthetic marijuana is easy to get and 2. schools don’t test for it.

Synthetic marijuana is basically a type of dried leaf (bay leaf, clove, parsley, or a mixture) treated with a set of artificial chemicals which are supposed to mimic THC – the part of marijuana that gets the user high.  The chemicals are sprayed on to the leaf before it is sold.  The drug is easy to obtain online, and can even be found in some gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops.  It is often sold under any of the names listed above.  It has only been made illegal recently and often the potential buyers of the drug are told that it is a “natural” substance.

None of the chemicals used to create synthetic marijuana have been deemed to be safe for human consumption.  In fact, one of the chemicals actually creates more of the negative effects of marijuana abuse at a lower dose than actual marijuana causes.

The effects of synthetic marijuana do not mimic those of natural marijuana.  In fact, getting high on synthetic marijuana usually causes the following: feelings of acute anxiety or paranoia, panic attacks, disassociation, hallucinations, extreme coughing, nausea, vomiting, inability to hold on to a thought, heart palpitations, psychotic episodes, seizures, tremors, hallucinations, and suicide.

While it is unknown if synthetic marijuana is addictive, experts believe that it is.   Many counselors across the US have talked to teens seeking treatment who – while they did not like the effects of synthetic marijuana – felt the need to continue to take it.  Synthetic marijuana is considered a Schedule I drug – which means that it is illegal, and has a high potential for abuse.

If you are hooked on synthetic marijuana, or you know someone who is suffering from addiction, contact Narconon Suncoast today.   Narconon has years of experience in helping addicts free themselves of the shackles of addiction.  Call us today at 1-877-850-7355.

Refs: DrugFree.org, Forbes, WebMD Health News, DEA, NIDA

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EDUCACIÓN Y REHABILITACIÓN DE DROGAS