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What you need to know about Synthetic Drugs

By Lena Butler posted 06-18-2013 05:20 AM

  

Synthetic drugs have been in the news for a few years now and, unfortunately, on many store shelves, too.

Many people do not consider them to be “real” drugs and, therefore, they sometimes assume that these synthetic drugs are safer than other, more traditional, drugs. But this is wrong. Chemical analysis has proven that these synthetic drugs contain hidden chemicals that are not printed on the ingredients label, meaning people don’t really know what they are smoking or ingesting with these drugs, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

Synthetic marijuana is created by manufacturing synthetic cannabinoids that mimic the effects of the substance in marijuana that gets people high, known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. When these synthetic cannabinoids are sprayed onto dried herbs, it creates something akin to naturally occurring marijuana, but these synthetic cannabinoids can be specifically created to produce a high 15 times more powerful than natural pot.

NIDA has found that these synthetic forms of marijuana are popular among high school students. In fact, they are the second most popular drugs in high schools next to actual marijuana itself. This is due to the afore-mentioned false assumption that it is safer than other drugs. There is also a generally false belief that the psychoactive effects of synthetic marijuana are produced naturally and therefore are deemed to be relatively harmless. Another reason it has gained in popularity is that it is difficult to pick up in standard drug tests.

The actual high sensation that synthetic marijuana produces is similar to regular marijuana, including elevated mood, relaxation, altered perception and in some cases extreme anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations. The cannabinoid compounds in synthetic marijuana perform a similar function to THC in regular marijuana, binding to cell receptors in the body. Some of the synthetic marijuana, however, has been found to bind much more strongly.

Even more frightening, though, is the fact that because many of the most common compounds in synthetic marijuana are being banned in various states and countries, producers of synthetic marijuana are including new chemicals that aren’t technically banned yet and these unknown compounds could cause drastically different effects on the body.

There are literally dozens of different synthetic cannabinoids that can be put into synthetic marijuana. Long-term and even short-term effects on the body of using many of these synthetic cannabinoids are not yet known.

Synthetic marijuana smokers have been taken to Poison Control Centers after smoking these substances and have reported symptoms including: rapid heart rate, vomiting, agitation, confusion and hallucinations. Synthetic marijuana can also lead to raised blood pressure, reduced blood supply to the heart and has, in a few cases, been associated with heart attacks.

There have been cases in the news of synthetic marijuana being blamed for kidney damage and, in a few cases, even death.

In addition to synthetic marijuana is the threat of synthetic cocaine and other drugs that are commonly known as “bath salts.” These drugs can be smoked, snorted or injected and cause a similar reaction to that of regular cocaine. But, much like synthetic marijuana, bath salts use any of dozens of synthetic compounds that have not been sufficiently tested or observed to know the long or short-term effects on the human body.

And also much like synthetic marijuana, synthetic cocaine has caused people to be taken to poison control centers and hospitals because of adverse reactions to the drugs.

Fortunately, new drug test kits are continually being developed to test for these synthetic compounds and governments around the world are continually implementing bans on them to help keep them out of stores.

Meet Lena Butler. She has a brief knowledge of different types of testing related to health and wellness and is always interested to know more about the same as much as possible. Additionally, she loves to go for camping trips and likes to hang out with friends and family.

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