Spice: learn about the terrible effects of synthetic marijuana

The fast-paced lifestyle that the age of technologies and the social media, the maelstrom of electronic information and access to any product just a click away are bringing total proximity between product and consumer.

'Spice', the drug that mimics cannabis

Currently, there is a tendency to consume everything expeditiously and looking for maximum pleasure, no matter how much you have to pay if the end is enjoy a unique experience. The industry is interested in the consumer being impulsive and not reflective. Examples abound, from the famous fast food chains, which offer their products in a matter of minutes, to the trade in synthetic drugs, with the sole purpose of satisfy the addiction of thousands of people in the world and achieve economic gains, regardless of the damage that addiction causes to those people involved in addiction consumerist.

It is known that the drug trafficking business moves millions of dollars worldwide. It is estimated that the amount that over a year is from 300,000 to 500,000 million dollars

, astronomical figures that end up in the hands of those who are dedicated to this illegal business, which leaves as balance thousands of deaths associated with both consumption itself, as well as disputes between drug traffickers.

The trafficking of synthetic drugs has been gaining ground internationally for more than 10 years, and is one of the businesses that most profits leave in the coffers of traffickers, since the cost of the product is usually lower compared to drugs of origin natural.

The creativity of traffickers when preparing and processing it knows no limits. Merchandise transfer systems are not far behind, they frequently use people as messengers of the product (mules), even transporting prohibited substances by placing them strategically in watches, cell phones, chairs, shoes, etc.

Chemistry at the service of the drug business

One of the famous drugs popularized by the media five years ago seemed have disappeared from the map, but that today it has become to speak again of the call "Spice", a synthetic drug made from herbs and other substances doused with chemicals, which according to specialists produces effects similar to marijuana. So we are talking about a type of drug that simulates the effects of marijuana.

Obviously, these effects tend to be more dangerous and severe in the case of Spice, since it is a drug made in laboratories whose Chemical components are not known with certainty, and this makes Spice a drug whose effects can be much more unpredictable than marijuana common.

This drug is one of the most consumed in the United States, and at the end of 2012 it reached Europe. In the United States, acquiring this type of drug is worryingly simple: anyone can buy it through the internet or in places called “head shops”; legal or clandestine drug stores.

The mode of consumption is the same as in the cannabis, in some cases many addicts tend to combine other types of substances such as herbal tea, or combine this synthetic drug with natural cannabis. According to experts, this last practice is the most risky and dangerous.

Effects of the drug Spice

The symptoms caused by this synthetic drug when consumed are similar to those of cannabis. Consumers report having lived experiences such as an elevated mood, feeling of relaxation, and altered perception of reality. Some cases reveal psychotic-like effects, such as anxiety, paranoia, and hallucinations.

Among its side effects in the medium and long term, we can find:

• Anxiety

• High blood pressure

• Disorientation

• Perception disturbance

Although the effects of Spice on brain functions have not yet been analyzed with scientific research, it is known that the cannabinoid components that Spice contains act on the same neuronal receptors as marijuana with THC. However, the chemicals found in Spice adhere more aggressively to the receptors, which could result in much more severe effects. In addition, it must be said that the control of the substances contained in Spice is deficient, and in some cases the drug may be adulterated with compounds highly harmful to the body, which may lead to worse effects than those described.

Regular Spice users who were hospitalized suffered tachycardia, vomiting, restlessness, confusion and hallucination pictures. Synthetic marijuana alters blood pressure and can cause a poor blood supply to the heart. Cases of myocardial infarction have been reported. Addicts can also suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Although many of the effects of Spice are still unknown, experts warn of the presence of heavy metals in some Spice mixes, totally aggressive with human physiology.

Treatment for synthetic marijuana addiction

The treatment to be implemented is the same as in cases of addiction to other narcotic substances. The medical and neurological examination is essential to know what are the possible damages caused by the drug in the mental and physical state of the addict.

The most vulnerable population to be able to develop an addiction to Spice, both in the US and in Europe, is the one between the ages of 14 and 20. A very important piece of information is what Deborah Carr, member of the American Association of Poison Control Centers, points out is that, In 2011 alone, this center reported a total of 13,000 calls for help to treat cases derived from the use of synthetic drugs. Among those thirteen thousand calls, in 60% of the cases people under 25 years of age were involved.

Currently, the effects that this drug can cause in the brain area are still being investigated to know which parts may be the most affected after the continued consumption of Spice. It is known that the damage it can cause to the brain is irreparable, and it is for this reason that the authorities of the countries where the drug is already widely consumed make a call for consumers to be aware of the danger of this drug and its short, medium and long-term effects term.

Although the drug can already be found in most European countries, there are several states that are prohibited from entering and selling it, such as France or the United Kingdom.