K2, “Fake Weed”; A Dangerous New High    

 What is K2?    

K2 is a mix of dried herbs and spices sprayed with a substance similar to THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol).     

It is sold as incense in smoke shops, on the internet, and stores where incense is sold.  It produces a high similar to marijuana.  Many people who have smoked K2, according to blogs and message boards on the internet, report K2’s high as having stronger affects than marijuana but a shorter high.  K2 is smoked similar to marijuana.  While it can be smoked by rolling it in paper, it is more often smoked from a pipe because, compared to marijuana, it is much bulkier in nature.                                                                                         

Where did K2 come from?    

• JWH-018 was first synthesized by John Huffman, a Clemson University chemist. 
• JWH-018 is a chemical similar to THC but about 10 times more potent.   
• A mellow and euphoric feeling similar to marijuana was reported after using JWH-018.   
• An unknown group picked up on Huffman’s work.  They mixed or bought batches of JWH-018 and began spraying it onto different mixes of dried herbs, flowers, and tobacco leaves, the result being K2.   
• China and Korea both produce K2.   
• Companies in Asia have manufactured similar compounds that are marketed as incense or fertilizer.   

 Buying K2…Is it legal?    

• K2 also known as “fake pot” or “fake weed” is sold under names such as, Supernova, Spice, Genie, Zohai, and Spirit.  It looks like potpourri.   
• Blonde, Citron, Summit, and Standard are just a few of the names of the different blends of K2 that can be purchased. 
• Until recently, under U.S. law, the herbal product was legal and unregulated in all 50 states.  Kansas has become the first state to ban K2.  Similar legislation to ban K2 has also been written by lawmakers in Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Dakota.  It has been banned in most of Europe and Russia.     
• K2 has been listed as a “drug of concern” by the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency but it isn’t officially “scheduled” which means it is legal to purchase (except in Kansas.)
• “K2 costs between $20 and $50 for three grams – similar to the street price of marijuana – but with the key advantages of being legal and undetectable in drug tests” according to CBS News websites in an Associated Press article, “States Consider Banning ‘K2’ Imitation Pot.” 
• According to Yahoo News, “Fake Weed, Real Drug: K2 Causing Hallucinations in Teens”, “K2 has been sold since 2006 as incense or potpourri for about $30 to $40 per three gram bag – comparable in cost to marijuana.” 
• If a person is impaired by K2 and is driving, they can be charged with DWI-drugs if they fail a field sobriety test. 

 Dangers of K2…    

        *   There has not been a lot of research done on the effects K2 on humans.  Studies on mice indicate that K2 can lower body temperature, cause partial paralysis and temporary inability to feel pain,
             according to the Drug Enforcement Agency. 
        *   The effect K2 has on brain-altering is more intense then marijuana.
        *   K2 moves very quickly from the lungs into the bloodstream and then throughout the body to vital organs. 
        *   According to Dr. Anthony Scalzo, a toxicologist at St. Louis University, symptoms of K2 suggest it affects the cardiovascular and central nervous system.  
        *   Users of K2 have reported increased heart rates, loss of consciousness, paranoia, and occasionally, psychotic episodes. 
        *   Long-term effects of K2 have yet to be determined. 
        *   K2 can affect different people in different ways.  Evidence shows that lungs, brain, heart, and other vital organs all have the potential to be damaged.     

 Toxic K2?    

Since K2 is unregulated, users can’t be exactly sure what they are buying.  In the Midwest there have been reports of a possible “bad batch” of K2.  Teenagers throughout the Midwest area, who have smoked K2, are coming into Emergency Rooms.  The teenagers are agitated, anxious, and in some cases, delirious.  They have racing hearts and increased blood pressure.  They often have pale skin and may vomit.  These symptoms show that this form of K2 may be affecting the central nervous system, which means this “batch” of K2 could cause potentially life-threatening hallucinations and seizures.  This is the opposite of what you would usually see in someone who has smoked K2.  With that, you would expect to see the same effects of marijuana, such as, sleepiness, reduced blood pressure, relaxation, and possibly, at high doses, hallucinations and delusions.  Dr. Scalzo believes that unless K2 has been sprayed with an extremely high concentration of JWH-018 then it is not responsible for the nasty effects the teenagers are experiencing.  Therefore, it’s possible that K2 may have been contaminated with another product.    

Sources:    

Area Wide News. Caution! Dangerous High From New Herbal Mix. www.areawidenews.com    

CBS News. Fake Weed “K2” Can Cause Hallucinations.www.cbsnews.com    

CNN.com. Don’t Criminalize ‘K2,’ Regulate It.www.cnn.site.com    

Newsweek. Fake-Pot Panic.www.newsweek.com    

Find out more about the workshops and sessions presented by the Prevention Consortium.

Hosted in East Syracuse NY on May 16, 2014

View the PDF Brochure

The Herkimer County Prevention Council’s annual Drug Quiz Show will be held at Herkimer County Community College on Thursday March 27, 2014 9am-3pm. (Snow Date will be on Friday, March 28, 2014) Local Schools competing for the title of Herkimer County DQS Champions are: Dolgeville, Herkimer, Little Falls, Mount Markham, Poland and Town of Webb.

Teams have received their study materials so that they can prepare for the competition with their school advisor. The competition will cover all the most current data on substance abuse. The officials for the competition will be volunteers from local law enforcement, and human service agencies, and HCCC.

If you would like more information, visit the Herkimer County Prevention Website

SHATTER THE MYTHS ABOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL!
National Drug Facts Week (NDFW) is a health observance week for teens that aims to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse.

Through community-based events and activities on the Web, on TV, and through contests, NIDA is working to encourage teens to get factual answers from scientific experts about drugs and drug abuse.

Download the NDFW Info Sheet (PDF format, 188KB)!