FDA Issues Warning about Synthetic “Cannabis” Products
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]S[/dropcap]o-called synthetic cannabis products contain rat poison, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned in a press announcement dated July 19. While “spice” and “K2” drugs mimic the effects of cannabis, beyond that, they have little in common and can cause horrific side effects.
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has become aware of reports of severe illnesses and deaths resulting from the use of synthetic cannabinoid (marijuana) products that have been contaminated with brodifacoum, a very long-acting anticoagulant commonly used in rat poison,” the statement reads. “These unapproved products are being sold in convenience stores and gas stations as substitutes for marijuana under names such as ‘K2’ and ‘Spice.’ Use of these illegal products pose significant public health concerns for both individuals who may use the contaminated products and the U.S. blood supply, as there is the potential for contamination of blood products donated by those individuals who have used these substances.”
According to the FDA, drug makers intentionally add brodifacoum because it extends the duration of the high attained from spice drugs. And it’s most likely that brodifacoum is responsible for reports of bleeding.
It’s important to note that many news outlets lump CBD products together with spice drugs, which are two completely different things. Anything labeled as “CBD” that contains synthetic cannabinoids is misleading.
Spice drugs first gained popularity in Europe circa 2004. There are hundreds of drug analogs that produce similar effects, and one of the first was JWH-018, named after John W. Huffman. Its chemical structure has similarities to THC, but is engineered by amateur chemists that are willing to use rat poison as an ingredient. What began as an attempt to synthesize cannabinoids for medical reasons resulted in a surge of imitations on the black market. The chemical is then sprayed onto an herb to mimic cannabis, usually Damiana leaf. When one chemical is banned, drug makers simply alter the chemical makeup. Spice drugs have caused severe bleeding, seizures, bleeding from the eyes, or worse.
The lure of spice drugs is to have the effects of cannabis while being able to pass a drug test, which do not test for synthetic cannabinoids. But turning to spice isn’t a safe solution, by anyone’s standards. Consuming one bad batch of spice could be your last.
