There’s a new drug trend among youth that parents should be aware of — an herbal and chemical product which mimics the effects of marijuana. It’s best known by the brand names K2 or Spice and some are referring to it as herbal incense or “fake weed.”
Whatever brand name it goes by, it’s proving to be dangerous and I urge you to talk with your teens about the potential side effects.
This drug is a combination of herbs and spices that have been sprayed with several synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana. It creates an unpredictable “high” depending on the chemicals. Although currently legal in Washington, many states are moving to outlaw it. The drug is banned in several European countries and by the military.
Spice, K2 and other brands are typically found at tobacco shops as well as gas stations and are often marketed as incense or “herbal smoking blend.” Although most packages say it’s not intended for human consumption, the products are usually smoked by users. “Because it’s sold openly and legally, some teens feel it must be safe, but nothing could be further from the truth,” says Tena Youngberg, a drug and alcohol counselor with Youth Eastside Services.
Emergency rooms are seeing kids who’ve used this drug presenting with racing hearts, blood pressure problems, vomiting, hallucinations, paranoia and anxiety — not typical side effects of marijuana. There have been reports of seizures after using Spice and in Iowa, an 18-year-old suffered a panic attack and committed suicide after smoking it with friends. Long-term effects are yet to be determined as no studies are available, but irreversible brain damage is suspected.
The use of this drug is definitely on the upswing. To date, the American Association of Poison Control Centers has logged 1,358 calls from 48 states and the District of Columbia from people who suffered bad reactions to synthetic marijuana. Just 14 cases were reported in all of 2009.
The Washington Poison Center reports 48 calls statewide this year and has been seeing an increase over the past several weeks. Local emergency rooms, including Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, are also seeing people with adverse reactions to synthetic marijuana.
Knowledge is power, so talk with your teen (and their friends) about the realities and dangers of this drug.
Patti Skelton-McGougan is executive director of Youth Eastside Services (YES). Since 1968, YES has been a lifeline for kids and families, offering counseling, treatment, education and prevention services to help youth become healthy, confident and self-reliant and families to become strong, supportive and loving. For more information, call 425-747-4937 or go to www.YouthEastsideServices.org.
