10 Facts About Synthetic Cannabinoids (Spice)

1. Synthetic Cannabinoids are not marijuana/ cannabis.

Synthetic cannabinoids are not marijuana/cannabis but rather a collection of numerous
laboratory chemicals that interact with the cannabinoid receptor in the brain to mimic
marijuana to induce a marijuana-like high.

2. Synthetic Cannabinoids are often more potent than marijuana/ cannabis.

One of the reasons spice may be more potent than marijuana is because the chemical
components bind more strongly to the cannabinoid receptor in the brain and they also may
interact with other receptors in the brain that marijuana does not. Several news reports have
described users in state of excited delirium, significantly agitated, tearing off their clothes and
sweating profusely. Some patients have had severe symptoms such as significant cardiac
arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, psychosis, respiratory depression, flaccid paralysis,
hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, seizures, coma and even death.

3. Synthetic cannabinoids are ever-changing.

In 2012, the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act was passed and made 26 synthetic chemicals
Schedule I, among them 15 fifteen synthetic cannabinoids; this makes these products illegal to
sell, buy, or possess. The latest expansions of the law occurred in January 2015 with the
addition of three more chemical formulations of synthetic cannabinoids. However, the
clandestine manufacturers of these products continue to change the chemical formulations to
evade law enforcement.

4. Research was high jacked.

Synthetic cannabinoid research began over 40 years ago to evaluate their use as
pharmaceutical agents. These synthetic cannabinoids were never intended for human
consumption. Unfortunately, clandestine manufacturers began illegally synthesizing some of
the compounds and distributing for illicit use.

5. Synthetic Cannabinoids are dangerous chemicals with unknown human

toxicity.
Because they are rapidly changing products sprayed on unknown varied herbs they can be very
dangerous. The user does not really know what he/she is inhaling or consuming because the
amount of drug is unknown, the herbs used are unknown, and there are no quality controls
used in the production process. The vast majority of these chemicals have never been
evaluated in a controlled setting with laboratory animals or humans.

6. Synthetic Cannabinoids have many street names.

Examples of common street names/trade names for synthetic cannabinoids include Spice,
K2, Angry Birds, Bhang, Bliss, Dr. Feel Good, fake week, Gangsta, Killa Gorilla,
Mojo, Outer Space, Scooby Snax, Mr. Nice Guy, Sexy Monkey, and Tomcat. Part of
marketing and trying to increase sales can include adding different flavors or other drugs to the
mix such as methamphetamine, ecstasy, bath salts, or PCP, making the products even more
dangerous.

10 Facts About Synthetic Cannabinoids (Spice)

7. Synthetic Cannabinoids usage is not limited to young people.
Based on Mississippi Emergency Medical Services Information System which tracks Emergency
Medical Service calls, the ages for the recent synthetic cannabinoid emergency department
visits have ranged from 12-69. When patients have been asked why they would choose to try
these products, perceived safety and availability may have played a role; however, the fact that
the product is not picked up on random work drug screens has also been cited.

8. Synthetic Cannabinoids are easily obtained.

The herbal products resemble potpourri and may be marketed as incense. Most of the time
the products are labeled not for human consumption with no instructions/doses for human
use, but the product is intended to be either smoked like marijuana, vaped or mixed as a
herbal infusion to be drunk Although the majority of the spice in the cases in Mississippi were
obtained from independent drug dealers, spice can also be found at head shops (shops that sell
smoking paraphernalia), at gas stations, and on the internet.

9. Synthetic Cannabinoids can be addicting with unknown long term

consequences.
Due to the unknown chemical content of synthetic cannabinoids and varying activity of related
metabolites, effects are unpredictable. Long term consequences and addiction potential are
unclear. Long-term users may be vulnerable to new-onset or relapse of psychosis and cognitive
deficits including reduced attention span and memory. Withdrawal potential can be
unpredictable as well.

10. Provider education is key.

Numerous misconceptions about synthetic cannabinoids exist in the community, including
erroneous beliefs that these products are safe or that they are a simply a version of marijuana.
Any synthetic cannabinoid product is likely to be of different chemical composition and of
varying potency at different points of sale, leading to inconsistency in effect. Synthetic
cannabinoids can be unsafe in any quantity or frequency of use; using these products is a big
risk.

More resources:
DREAM of Hattiesburg, Inc. (www.dreamofhattiesburg.org) (601) 545-2102
NIDA (www.drugabuse.gov)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (http://store.samhsa.gov)
Mississippi Department of Health Services (www.msdh.state.ms.us/)
Mississippi Poison Control Center 9800-222-1222)