At first glance it might seem like standard marijuana, but in reality it is a totally different thing. In fact, it is a dangerous substance−so dangerous that it can even prove fatal. In certain areas, the use of what has been dubbed “synthetic marijuana” has become widespread, spurring authorities to take measures like banning the product's sale and consumption, while attempting to defuse the panic it has triggered among the public.
Bliss, Blaze, Weed Fake, Spice and Moon Rocks are some of the names by which the misnamed “synthetic marijuana” is sold, a crude and extremely unhealthy chemical, copy of natural cannabis (with which it really has nothing in common, save for its artificially-achieved appearance), having seriously negative effects on the health of those who consume it.
Its creator, John W. Huffman, has even stated that he cannot understand why anybody would want to try the substance, due its extremely high toxicity level. He's even gone so far as to state that those who do “are stupid and reckless.” Strokes, overdoses, convulsions, acute psychosis, hallucinations, heart problems, even comas are some of its effects, which is why authorities are beginning to take serious steps in some places to prevent its consumption and to calm public concerns generated by the product's proliferation.
“I'd like to get back to grass because Spice is horrible. When I wake up after smoking it, my bed and body are covered with vomit. I know a kid who died from it. His heart was beating too fast, and then it stopped,” a regular user explains in the video. Under its effects another consumer reported wanting to kill somebody, fidgeting nervously, as if on the verge of suffering some kind of attack.
Another teenager says that he is doing all he can to quit the drug, but it is hard because in his city, Manchester, it can be bought on almost any corner for five times less than natural marijuana. It is even sold at kiosks and specialized stores, in packages where its manufacturer indicates that it is not apt for human consumption. In that corner of Europe measures have not yet been taken to address the issue, which is fuelling consumption.
This legal vacuum even surprises the users themselves, many of whom report that they can smoke synthetic marijuana right in front of a police officer (not the case, unfortunately, if it's real cannabis). The dangerous chemical compound is hooking the country's drug addicts because it produces the same sensations as heroin, and the experts believe that it is even more damaging than crack. A genuine time bomb.
In the United States a great number of people have suffered overdoses on it. In mid-July 2014 the State of New Hampshire declared a medical emergency after a 19 year old went into a coma and died after having taken the substance.
Both there and in some localities in Massachusetts synthetic marijuana was removed from store shelves, where it was marketed as incense, doing serious harm to dozens of people between Manchester and Concord. In 2012 alone poisonous substance control centres received 5,230 calls regarding consumption of the product, and by the following year that number had risen to 6,664.
In 2012 New York Governor Andrew Cuomo prohibited the possession, manufacture, distribution and sale of this product. The latest news from that state, out of the Bronx, is that more than 700 people have visited the borough's emergency rooms in recent weeks. Senator Jeff Klein has presented a bill calling for tougher penalties for those businesses that sell synthetic marijuana, which is prohibited state-wide. Fines can exceed 700 euros, and its sale is punishable by up to 5½ years of prison.
He has also called on the DA to take stronger action against this scourge, as at least 20 recognised sites in the area sell the drug illegally. “The Bronx has become the K2 capital of New York City,” explained Klein, employing one of the names under which false marijuana is sold.
Its sale and consumption are also prohibited in the State of Kentucky. Just some days ago, a man was arrested for amassing large amounts of synthetic marijuana in his home. Local police explained that it is much more powerful than four or five years ago, when the first affected users were detected, which is leading to even more anxiety amongst citizens. Hence, the National Institute on Drug Abuse is taking this substance very seriously, and officially getting the word out regarding how dangerous it is and the scope of its impact.
The City of Boston, meanwhile, passed a law several weeks ago prohibiting its sale. Mayor Marty Walsh thanked all those who worked on the effort to protect residents “from these extremely dangerous substances that are becoming more and more accessible, and that target our young people.” Councillor Frank Baker has stated that he hopes this decision will also affect other synthetic chemical compounds appearing in the future. Thanks to this law, Boston police will be able to issue fines of around 420 euros on violators of its prohibition.
Medical experts and those struggling with the ordeal of the drug's effects firmly believe that measures should be taken to halt its expansion and keep new consumers from finding it. The cannabis sector has come out clearly and strongly against synthetic marijuana, which many believe could spark a genuine health crisis in a range of countries.