We haven’t been hearing about synthetic drugs as much as we did a few years ago. But the problem is far from over. Associated Press just reported that 160 people were seen in New York State hospitals in just over a week as a result of their synthetic marijuana use.
More than 120 of those hospital visits occurred in New York City alone. Alabama health officials chimed in, adding nearly 100 more hospital visits from their state. In Virginia, one person died and two more were hospitalized after they overdosed on this drug. In Maryland, more than 15 people were taken to hospitals. Two of them needed to be placed on ventilators. All of the Maryland victims were under 20 years of age and one was only 11.
Many people don’t realize that the substances used in making Spice have no actual relation to marijuana. Spice is composed chemicals sprayed on leafy material. The chemicals were concocted in a lab located probably in India, Pakistan or China. There are dozens of chemical formulas that could be found in a drug of this class, and the formulas are changing all the time. The only connection between this drug referred to as Spice, K2 or many other marketing labels is that its effect on the brain is somewhat similar to that of cannabis.
The effect from this drug might be somewhat like that of marijuana but its adverse effects can be life threatening. They can include:
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Vomiting
• Hallucinations
• Paranoia
• Threatening behavior
• Numbness
• Terrible headaches
• Inability to speak
• Seizures
• Coma
When Spice was first sold, some people who thought they might be drug tested used it so they would not get caught using an illicit drug. Many drug testing labs have since caught up with the formulas used in Spice, so a Spice user is no longer safe from detection. Furthermore, because Spice is addictive as well as damaging, a user may not be able to quit using it if they choose to.
If you are concerned about someone who may be using Spice check out the signs and symptoms on our site.
While the use of Spice may not be quite as widespread as it was in 2011, this is no consolation for the hundreds of people who have needed medical assistance to recover from an experience they may have thought would just be “fun.”
http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/ny-gov-synthetic-marijuana-is-making-hospital-visits-spike-1.10289540