Synthetic Marijuana Linked To Seizures, Psychosis And Death

Synthetic marijuana compounds, sometimes called K2 or Spice, are actually chemically different from marijuana, and are more dangerous than pot, according to a new review of studies. Synthetic marijuana compounds are linked to a number of serious side effects, including seizures, psychosis and even death, the review’s authors said. These compounds “produce a variety of dangerous acute and chronic adverse effects … with a greater severity and frequency than observed following marijuana use,” the researchers wrote in their review, which was published Feb. 2 in the journal Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. Therefore, “K2/Spice products are clearly not safe marijuana alternatives,” the researchers said. [6 Party Drugs That May Have Health Benefits] Manufacturers first started to sell synthetic marijuana compounds in the early 2000s. The products are often marketed as “safe” alternatives to marijuana that will not show up on a standard drug test. In the early 2000s, “we started seeing all kinds of people coming into emergency rooms saying they smoked marijuana, but then they had these really bizarre symptoms that did not correspond with the effects you see with marijuana,” Paul Prather, a cellular and molecular pharmacologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), said in a statement. There are now more than 150 different types of synthetic marijuana compounds, the researchers said. The products are ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news