Legal drugs?
K2 is a mixture of herbs and certain cannabinoids that gets you high when you smoke it. Synthetic weed. It’s similar to marijuana except for:
So since it’s legal, it must be okay, right? Not so fast…
Synthetic marijuana composition
What can someone add to the ingredients of the drug? Answer: practically anything. Over the years, there have been situations when illegal drugs purchased on the street were found to have harmful, even deadly ingredients added to them. It is not too farfetched to conjecture that something similar will eventually happen to users of K2.
Dr. Corey Herbert, a medical editor for TV station WDSU in New Orleans, is concerned about that very situation. He states “Every time you use supplements like this one or anything else, it’s really like playing Russian Roulette because you have no idea what is in that package.”
Long term effects
The drug’s creator, chemist John Huffman of Clemson University, stated his drug mimics the narcotic effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. He also cautions that his lab had developed the drug for research purposes only, and that “their effects in humans have not been studied and they could very well have toxic effects.”
As a relatively new synthetic, the jury is still out as to whether or not there are any long term effects coincident with its usage. In ancient Rome, lead was sometimes sprinkled in wine for the effect it had on the user: stupor, disorientation, etc. We now know that ingesting lead can be deadly. Some even postulate the fall of the Roman empire can be attributed to the use of lead in that society.
For current comparisons, K2 and steroids can be viewed side by side. This latter drug was initially touted as a wonder chemical that could enhance athletic performance. But more recent reports of the adverse effects of steroids now make even a casual user think twice if the short term gains really supersede their long term effects. Can we expect cancer? Will the offspring of users experience birth defects? What about neurological impairments?
Testing for K2
It’s difficult if not downright impossible to find someone who has ingested the drug. This was evidenced recently by a drug testing company called Redwood Toxicology. A spokesperson said the possibility of being able to definitively conclude a person is under the use of K2 is very difficult.
The problem in nailing down a sure-fire test, urine-based or otherwise, is the moving target nature of the drug. Since the stuff was originally created in a lab and now other labs are producing it, any number of changes to its composition can be affected with very little ease.
The bottom line
Synthetic marijuana is still pretty new to us all. Little testing has been done, so it’s hard to say if it’s safe or not. What I do know is that a handful of states have already banned it. And we can expect more to follow. So if you’re considering trying out K2, your best bet is to leave it alone until more studies are completed.
What do you think about this new synthetic drug?
View Comments
Which one is better? Is it the pure marijuana or synthetic marijuana? But to me, both are not good and I never tried one before..
Pure Marijuana is much better for you. It actually has some health benefits and kills ZERO brain cells. as an ex synthetic marijuana smoker, the high is much better in the fake stuff. But now I think I have damaged my brain doing so and regret it tremendously.
Little testing has been done on synthetic marijuana. But I beleive it is one of the most harmful things you can do to your self. The high, if you smoke to much (with legal only one bowl is a lot),
Becomes a trip. I've had my fair share of experience with drugs in the past, and never in my life did I trip like I did on legal. Not a good trip either. I have watched friends of mine black out and have seizures because of it. As I have my self, I realized its true danger after having a seizure in the bathroom and waking up with throw up all over me. it is a very dangerous drug, and is about 10 times worse then real marijuana. For the fiends of mine that have smoked it long term, I have noticed very obvious changes, becoming almost zombie like. Stay away from it.
ok i smoked weed for 2 years straight before i had to quit ,so i tried that fake stuff (pin-up "jane's jungle juice"). I took three hits off a small bowl emptied the contents ,and returned to my house ,because this stuff got me so high i felt nausious at one point ,but after eating and taking a shower the high went away almost instantaniously. I'm going to go smoke one more bowl and i will return while high on the substance to document its affects.
Been smoking the real stuff since 1998, switched to synthetic a year and a half ago. No adverse affects...so far. I do want to add that I dont LIKE smoking it and it kinda scares me but I'm having health problems right now that can honestly only be relieved by getting high. My nerves are too bad to deal with getting the real stuff, blah blah blah. I won't go all into that. I hope someone gets some good, trust-worthy results on this ASAP.
Same story. Smoked pot until my job began testing and started smoking synthetic. I've definitely stepped up in potency since I began, last year and find the effects as good as any hydro I've ever tried. No paranoia, memory farts or hangover. The side effects have been more aligned with smoking in general rather than any noticeable chemical issue. I alleviated most of the coughing and chest pain I've experienced by switching to a water pipe. The duration is rather short, usually no more than an hour which means I can fly to work and function when I get there. Safety results would seal the deal as no job is worth poisoning myself for.
Be careful with synthetic weed, all it takes is one really small hit to get faded.
People that take more than that are really risking it. I wouldn't recommend it.
I smoked this stuff for a year and the bad long term side effects that i have are Chronic memory loss very chronic no doubt, alot of panic attacks and the panic attacks have hallucinations combined. I don't recommend this for long term use nor short term, Its not safe reason being theirs many versions of JWH and AM and many are more dangerous than others. Takeing to many hits can cause a very bad trip. Also if your going to try it take 1 hit and wait 10 - 15 mins never do more than one.. i made that mistake.
This synthetic weed has growm extremely popular in the past month around where I live in canada and ive done it quite a few times and have had good trips but my friend took a seizure last night grom it and was taken to ER. The only side effects that I habe gotten from it so far is throwing up once, memory loss and constantly feeling tired and sluggish. I fear that using this alot will have long term effects on people. I smoked 6 bowls of it one time and I was zombified, couldnt get off my couch or anything.. This synthetic is definity a potent crazy high but I dont think its worth it in the long run.
I just want to say this crap is not safe my son tried it and he said that he saw his live pass by it was very scary we almost lost him people dont need to do any drugs at all legal or not .......
yea what dixie said.........
yeah what my mom an superman said haha btw im the one that did pin up dont do it you wont remember shit that happend and you like die almost