Synthetic Cannabinoid (K2)
Reid Bardsley
What is K2?
K2 is a synthetic form of marijuana and is a synthetic cannbinoid.
Synthetic cannabinoids are chemicals that mimic the effect of THC – one of the ingredients in cannabis. THC is the part of cannabis that gets you 'high'. These chemicals are added to a mixture of dried plant matter and sold under brand names such as “Kronic”, “Spice”, and “K2”.
(*The psychoactive compounds found in K2 include the synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-250 and/or CP 47,497 C8. Other synthetic cannabinoids include JWH-015, JWH-019, JWH-081, JWH-200, JWH-250, HU-210 and HU-211.*)
Classification
Synthetic cannabinoid products are often labeled "not for human consumption." Labels also often claim that they contain "natural" material taken from a variety of plants. However, the only parts of these products that are natural are the dried plant materials. Chemical tests show that the active, mind-altering ingredients are cannabinoid compounds made in laboratories.
While traditional marijuana is considered a mildly hallucinogenic depressant, K2 contains psychoactive herbs and dangerously unstable chemicals that make it an exceptionally powerful stimulant capable of generating serious side effects.
How do people use synthetic cannabinoids?
Users usually smoke the dried plant material sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. Sometimes they mix the sprayed plant material with marijuana, or they brew it as tea. Other users buy synthetic cannabinoid products as liquids to vaporize them in e-cigarettes.