Drug of the Week: K2 "Synthetic Marijuana"

A hot topic for debate right now is over the "Synthetic Marijuana" known as K2, which is commonly called spice, genie, skunk, or spice diamond on the streets. Currently it is being sold legally as herbal incense not intended for human consumption.

Dr. Carol Ott, Purdue clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice, stated in the Purdue student newspaper, "Synthetic marijuana is kind of a misnomer. It works at the same receptor site but it's not the same chemical at all. It has many of the same euphoric effects that marijuana users enjoy."

She later mentioned, "The problem is that we don't know all of the other effects." Some of these effects include hallucinations, anxiety, increased heart rate, lowered potassium levels that increase the risk for seizure and possible drug interactions.

Dr. Ott also stated that there have been some reports of death associated with K2 use. The dangers of this drug do not necessarily come from the plant itself, but the solvent it is dissolved in.

Lt. Gary Sparger of the West Lafayette Police Department stated that a female used K2 on Purdue's campus and then began to hallucinate and experience anxiety and was taken to the hospital. "She acted as if she was on LSD," Sparger said. "It (referring to K2) is different from marijuana. I've dealt with hundreds of people with marijuana and it's never had this sort of reaction."

Currently the West Lafayette and Lafayette city councils are working to draft a ban as soon as October that will constitute a $250 fine, as the first offense, for selling K2.

(A more in depth article can be found at www.purdueexponent.org)