“SPICE” aka K2, Black Mamba, Pep Spice, Blaze, Red X Presented by:

Synthetic Marijuana “Spice” consists of plant materials that have been coated with chemicals that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. It is legally sold in AZ.

Marketed as incense It is sold as incense and marked “not for human consumption.” The average cost of $30.00 a gram is more expensive than marijuana.

More potent than marijuana Depending on the synthetic compounds in a specific brand, it can be anywhere from 4 times to over 100 times more potent than regular marijuana. 1x 4x 100x

Serious Health Risks : Hallucinations, paranoia Seizures, tremors Coma, unconsciousness Vomiting, nausea Numbness, tingling Increased respiration rate Elevated blood pressure (up to 200/100-medically dangerous) Elevated heart rate (up to rate of 150 beats per minute-dangerous) Anxiety/agitation, panic attacks, possible suicide

Reports nationwide:  Linked to over 352 nationwide emergency room incidents-includes suicide attempts, extremely elevated heart rate/blood pressure, comas, seizures, and anxiety attacks.  Police in Indianola, Iowa report an 18 year old smoking K2 and experiencing a severe anxiety attack-stated he was “going to hell.” He subsequently went home and killed himself.  K2/Spice is labeled by users as the “stealth” marijuana.

Is Spice/K2 legal? Yes. It can be sold to anyone, even a 10-year old. It is sold at convenience stores, tobacco shops and online.

DEA Takes Action to Make Synthetic Marijuana Illegal on November 24, 2010 The DEA has notified the public of its intent to temporarily control five synthetic cannabinoid chemicals found in so-called “fake pot” products such as K2 and Spice. Since 2009, the DEA has received reports of serious adverse events and hospitalizations occurring in people using these products. The action will make the possession or sale of these chemicals illegal for at least a year while the DEA and the Department of Health and Human Services study these chemicals and products.

From the DEA Administrator on November 24, 2010 “The American public looks to the DEA to protect its children and communities from those who would exploit them for their own gain,” said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart. “Makers of these harmful products mislead their customers into thinking that ‘fake pot’ is a harmless alternative to illegal drugs, but that is not the case. Today’s action will call further attention to the risks of ingesting unknown compounds and will hopefully take away any incentive to try these products.”

Actual online advertisement intended to lure and mislead “It’s time to get high with the new k2 drug! K2 Summit is our most popular K2 Drug blend. Best of all k2 drug doesn’t show up in a drug test. So if you are on probation or get drug tested for sports this is for you. We took parts of all our other herbal blends and produced this. Our K2 drug specialist worked long hours on what we think is the perfect herbal blend for you. And we definitely know we got it right. Our comments and response so far for the K2 Summit blend has been unbelievable. If you have tried or have been thinking about trying some K2 Drug Incense this is the best place to start.”

Marked: Not for Human Consumption According to Dr. Marilyn Huestis, Chief of Chemistry and Drug Metabolism at the National Institute for Drug Abuse, “Taking these drugs is hijacking the part of the brain important for many major functions: temperature control, food intake, perception, memory and problem solving.” webmed.com

Prescott Newspaper Report Daily Courier November 8, 2010 “In late October, a 15-year-old boy who allegedly smoked Spice and drank alcohol in Prescott was found unconscious on a sidewalk…In July, two men and a teenager were taken to Yavapai Regional Medical Center West after they became combative and experienced hallucinations after smoking Spice…Officers noticed both men had extremely heavy body tremors, resting heart rates of over 140 beats per minute, and showed signs of paranoia. One man was hallucinating…the teen became combative, lost and regained consciousness…”

Developed for research Never tested on humans Spice/K2 was developed by Dr. John W. Huffman, a Clemson University professor, as research for the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) on endogenous cannabinoid receptors. It was never tested on humans nor approved by the FDA. webmed.com

What is the risk? Dr. Huffman said in an interview with WebMD, “It is like Russian roulette to use these drugs. We don’t know a darn thing about them for real. It shouldn’t be out there.” webmed.com

Things to do: 1. Watch for signs of use - smoking paraphernalia like pipes, foil packets or herbal residue. 2. Tell your kids - or anyone - that Spice and K2 are very dangerous. Take action

Help create change: Contact your state Senator or Representative at Ask them to make Spice/K2 illegal in AZ Take action

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