Parents hope to never see the effects of drug abuse in their children, but the effects of Spice could be particularly terrifying. Spice, or K2, is one of the new synthetics that are popular in many parts of the US. But the effects of using this drug can be dangerous, violent and threatening to life itself.
Spice has been sold as a legal, synthetic cannabinoid, or a drug that mimics the effects of marijuana. Up to a point, Spice was legal in the US but that ran out in July 2012 when it was banned at a federal level. States are following suit by passing their own laws which help give local law enforcement the ability to crack down on sellers.
Sellers were usually convenience stores and head shops, and the drug was usually sold in small foil packets or small glass jars. It was labelled as incense or potpourri to evade law enforcement attention but this mislabeling didn’t fool anyone. The packages could have been brand named Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Galaxy Gold and any other name the manufacturers could think up.
The effects of using Spice can be damaging, dangerous and deadly. They include seizures, hallucinations, violent, aggressive behavior, paranoia, rigidity, high blood pressure and high heart rate.
In the two years ending in 2012, more than four thousand calls were received by US Poison Control centers. It’s not known how many people have died from the effects of Spice abuse because for many people, the drug test that detects abuse of this drug arrived too late.
The military has determined that the effects of Spice abuse are damaging to the armed forces. Close to 2,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen were dismissed from the armed services in 2010 and 2011 due to Spice abuse.
The Department of Health in North Carolina reported on the effects of Spice abuse that sent more than a hundred people to their emergency rooms in 2010. Those people, mostly aged 13 to 24 years, complained of abdominal cramps, chest pain, seizures, rapid heart rate and difficulty breathing. Calls to poison control centers noted vomiting, unconsciousness, suppressed respiration and dangerous changes to perception. If a person uses the drug repeatedly, severe headaches can quickly become an issue.
It is also noted that K2 is stored in the human body for long periods of time. Which could mean that over time, the effects of using this drug could become more severe as new dosages would be piled on top of an existing bodily load.
Despite the fact that a person may see that he is suffering adverse effects from using this drug, he may go back for more, time after time. That is the compulsive, addictive behavior that can result from the use of Spice. It is easy to become addicted to this drug.
The drug is not actually just one chemical but could be composed of one or more from a list of chemicals, some of which were developed by chemist John W. Huffman, who was trying to create cannabinoids (marijuana-like drugs) to treat medical conditions. When they began being abused illicitly, he stated at different times how dangerous these drugs could be. The list of chemicals includes JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol.
When a person becomes addicted to Spice, he (or she) risks losing everything. You can help by getting that person into a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. For almost five decades, Narconon centers around the world have been helping people leave cannabinoids, alcohol, heroin and other drugs behind and showing them how to build a new sober life.
To recover from an addiction like this one, it takes repairing the damage done by the addiction. Some of the damage is physical. Foggy perceptions and unclear thinking can result from drug abuse heavy enough to cause addiction. The Narconon program includes a phase called the Narconon New Life Detoxification which uses time in a sauna, moderate daily exercise and nutritional supplements to flush out old drug residues that become lodged in the body. The result is that the person recovers brightness of thought and an improved outlook. In many cases, those completing this step talk about how much lower their cravings for drugs or alcohol are. Some people even say their cravings are gone.
When the drug residues are out of the body, a person is in a much better position to learn the life skills he will need to make sober decisions. The Narconon program offers the counseling that enables the recovering addict to start controlling his own life again, and then teaches these needed life skills. From identifying associates who would be dangerous to be around, to learning how to overcome obstacles and setbacks, each skill is carefully calculated to proof the recovering addict against relapse.
To help someone you care about recover from Spice addiction, call Narconon International or your nearest Narconon Rehabilitation center.
Also see Signs and Symptoms of Spice
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