The Dangers of Synthetic Marijuana

Despite current laws, Synthetic Marijuana remains a concern. Street names include K2, Spice, and No More Mr. Nice Guy, to name a few. Even though these drugs are called synthetic marijuana, in reality, they are very different from marijuana and can cause dangerous health effects. One of the scariest things about these synthetic drugs is often times the ingredients are not listed on the product so a user really has no idea what they are ingesting, and neither do the health experts.   

Here is an example of synthetic marijuana

Not only are these synthetic drugs very dangerous, but they can also be very addictive. Some alarming health effects from using these drugs include:

• Severe agitation and anxiety.
• Fast, racing heartbeat and high blood pressure.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Muscle spasms, seizures, and tremors.
• Intense hallucinations and psychotic episodes.
• Suicidal and other harmful thoughts and/or actions.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers states that these drugs were first reported in the U.S. in 2009. Poison centers throughout the U.S. received 5,230 calls about exposures to these drugs in 2012 and 2,643 exposures in 2013.

What should you do if someone has used synthetic marijuana?

Call your local poison center at 1-800-222-1222. Fifty-six poison centers around the country have experts waiting to answer your call. These experts can help you decide whether someone can be treated at home, or whether he or she must go to a hospital.

Dial 9-1-1 immediately if someone: 

• Stops breathing. 
• Collapses. 
• Has a seizure.

For more information, call your local poison center at 1-800-222-1222.  Poison centers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year for poisoning emergencies and for informational calls, too.