Synthetic Drugs Causing More Emergency Room Visits Than the Real Thing

Synthetic drugs come with many names and just as many man-made chemicals, not all of which are safe for human consumption. As is proven in the multitude of emergency room visits, some of them contain chemicals that are toxic.

Fake marijuana continues to make its rounds, despite being made illegal in most states and despite causing injury to those who ingest it. Most of the products on the market are dried herbs that are sprayed with chemicals to produce a marijuana-like high when smoked. Many users believe they are smoking something natural, even though one of the most widely used names for the drug is "synthetic marijuana." They also believe they are smoking something that is legal. These misconceptions about the drug aren’t doing anything to lessen its popularity among America’s youths.

K2 is a popular synthetic cannabis product being sold. The synthetic drug is also called Spice, Black Mamba, Zohai, Bombay Blue and Genie.

By some accounts, nearly 12,000 people were admitted to the emergency room in 2010 because of synthetic cannabis usage. Most of the patients admitted were between the ages of 12 and 29. These people are ingesting heavy metals and plastics, which could also have long-term affects.

Synthetic marijuana is relatively new, so the long-term effects are not yet known. However, it’s already been established that some people who take the drug in large doses have fallen into psychotic episodes.

While states are amending their laws to include synthetic cannabis, which has kept it out of convenience stores and smoke shops, many users are still able to purchase it online, which is leading to more calls to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). The AAPCC reported that it received nearly 7,000 calls regarding the drug.