Cannitrol – Cannabis Control Agent

Marijuana news from around the world

Al Capone

Doctor believes that symptoms of Synthetic Cannabis Use not always Recognized

emergency room

 

Prohibition paves a golden road to the black market.  The mafia flourished during America’s alcohol prohibition and marijuana.net has recently covered many stories that highlight the Mexican Cartel’s profits during the current war on cannabis.  The alternate and unregulated drug market has witnessed new products that are striking fear in parents and health care workers.

Complications from synthetic marijuana are being reported regularly these days.  The problem seems much more pronounced in teenagers, with emergency room visits on the rise.  Most of the news outlets refer to all synthetic marijuana, ingredients, and effects as if they fit into one category.  A recent article entitled “Side effects of synthetic pot-aka Spice- may be missed by ER Docs” has appeared on MSNBC’s website.  This article mentions major problems in diagnosing and treating teens who suffer from side effects of synthetics.

Dr. Joanna Cohen is a pediatric emergency physician and told MSNBC that “These drugs are unregulated…symptoms can be unpredictable because the drug is mixed with other types of chemicals and substances.” The problem is also complicated by the fact that there is no standard in the synthetic marijuana market.  With 39 states and a federal ban on JWH-018, synthetic creators have used many other compounds.  This can make detection of use by teens difficult as there is not necessarily consistency to the side effects.  The article also specifically describes several cases where teens were unable to speak, move, or respond to touch after being rushed to the emergency room after use of synthetic cannabinoids.  The side effects are different, unpredictable, and impossible to determine as many unknown chemicals can be found in the products used by teens.

While rogue chemists may have replaced the iconic prohibition kings such as Al Capone, the situation remains similar.  The black market in 2012 may not have the identifiable faces that made bootleggers so famous, but the effects of this market may be far worse.  Synthetic products such as “K2” and “Spice” can be purchased at convenience stores and will likely just appear in different packaging if outlawed.  These stories only highlight the need for a regulated and safe marijuana market, where the demand for products that can result in emergency room visits will fade away.

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,