Spice/K2 Addiction

Spice/K2 has a variety of names, most of them used as street vernacular when buying or selling the drug. Clinical language commonly uses the terms synthetic cannabinoids or synthetic marijuana — or fake weed — in reference to Spice, but those names aren’t used for people selling the drug or trying to misuse it. Spice and synthetic marijuana blends are referred to by a  variety of names, including:

• Black Mamba
• Blaze
• Bliss
• Bombay blue
• Genie
• Joker
• Kronic
• Legal cannabis
• Marinol
• Mary Mack
• Moon rocks
• Red X Dawn
• Solar flare
• Skunk
• Yucatan fire
• Zohai
• 2K11

Spice continues to evolve and new chemicals are added and tinkered with to produce new variations of the drug. The Office of the National Drug Control Policy reported that 51 new synthetic cannabinoids were recognized in 2012, and in the last six years even more have been introduced.

Spice includes many ingredients, some natural and some scientifically produced. The natural ingredient is dried and shredded plants or herbs, but nothing else is. The synthetic chemical pairs with the natural plant to create the cannabinoid drug. One of the significant challenges with Spice/K2 is that there is not one compound mixture that is K2, Spice or any of its other various names. Since there are so many variations and formulas, identifying the drug is challenging and can be equally difficult to properly treat for addiction. Spice is highly variable and people might not know exactly what they are taking, making it potentially dangerous or deadly.

Due to the drug being new, the level of addiction is not as known for experts as other, more-established drugs such as cocaine or heroin. According to the NIDA for Teens, Spice can be very addictive and causes people to experience signs of withdrawal if they abruptly stop taking the drug or attempt to reduce the frequency or dosage on their own. Some of these withdrawal signs include headaches, anxiety, depression and irritability.

Knowing the signs, symptoms and effects of Spice/K2 could help identify if someone is addicted or misusing the drug. The most common immediate effects of this drug include:

• Aggression
• Agitation
• Confusion
• Dry mouth
• Euphoria
• Heart attack
• Increased anxiety
• Loss of control
• Numbness
• Rapid heart rate
• Red eyes
• Seizures
• Stroke
• Sweating heavily
• Tremors
• Vomiting

Which signs someone might show varies greatly depending on the person’s physical characteristics and the amount of K2/Spice taken. Additional reasons for this include the chemicals mixed with the cannabis in the drug. As misuse becomes more frequent, the number of side effects a person exhibits often increases and people are more likely to feel discombobulated.

Since the drug is still new, not much is known about the long-term side effects of Spice/K2 misuse and addiction. However, the drug’s variance in chemicals and ingredients creates health risks for people who experiment and take the substance consistently. Many people have overdosed on the drug, which has been attributed to many deaths since its inception around 2010.

Permanent brain damage, kidney damage, psychotic episodes and hallucinations are some of the likely side effects for people who have misused the drug over a long period of time. Other side effects that could become long-term disorders and issues for people who take K2/Spice include anxiety, depression and paranoia.

Medical experts do not recommend taking Spice due to the potential for unknown chemicals. Mixing the drug with alcohol can be even more dangerous due to potentially lethal combinations.

If you or someone you know suffers from spice addiction, help with treating this substance use disorder is available . Recovering from spice addiction can be a challenging task, but a drug-free life is attainable. The Recovery Village has rehabilitation centers throughout the country that offer spice/K2 treatment through detoxification, inpatient and outpatient treatment, intensive outpatient care, aftercare programs and more.

One of the biggest reasons people do not seek addiction treatment is finances. Some people don’t have insurance while others have an insurance plan that does not cover drug rehabilitation. With The Recovery Village, paying for this necessary change is easy with a wide variety of ways to pay. Call us today to learn how to make this important step toward a greater quality of life.