Despite the fact that synthetic marijuana has until recently been considered a ‘safe alternative’ to traditional marijuana, a study carried out by researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (USA) concludes that marijuana Synthetic can lead to seizures, dependence, and even death.
Synthetic marijuana, better known as K2 or Spice , is illegally synthesized with a mixture composed of synthetic or artificial cannabinoids that generates very dangerous consequences for health , with effects very different from those of the more well-known marijuana.
And it is that although the compound tries to imitate the appearance and the psychotropic effects of a primary psychoactive compound of marijuana – which activates two receptors in the brain and the nervous system and the immune system – it contains chemically different substances. Thus, K2 or Spice is even more powerful than marijuana.
“They are very effective narcotics: they tend to activate the receptor in the brain and nervous system to a greater degree than we achieve with the primary compound in marijuana,” says William E. Fantegrossi, co-author of the work.
Side effects of synthetic marijuana
Epileptic attacks
Seizures
Kidney damage
Cardiotoxicity
Heart attacks
Anxiety
Psychosis
Dependence
Death
“People see anything related to marijuana on the label and it is believed to be safe, but these synthetic compounds are not marijuana. You never know what they contain and they are not safe, ” emphasizes Paul L. Prather, co-author of the work.
The study has been published in the journal Trends in Pharmacological Sciences.
