Synthetic marijuana is often referred to by a number of street names, the most common being Spice. Other names include K2, Bliss, Fake Weed, Moon Rocks, Black Mamba, and Yucatan Fire. Synthetic marijuana products may look much like marijuana, as both drugs are delivered in a dried format that looks much like an herb. However, synthetic marijuana products are chemically engineered to deliver a specific type of response in people who use them, and they get their power from chemical sprays that are applied at the end of the production process. The content of that spray can vary from product to product and batch to batch, but in most cases, the drug spray is engineered to attach to specific receptors in the brain that are sometimes used by marijuana. The sensations synthetic marijuana can bring about might be much different than the experiences felt by people who abuse marijuana, however, and they might last for a longer period of time.
People who abuse marijuana often report that the drug makes them feel calm, collected, and in touch with the universe. A synthetic marijuana user interviewed by The Reader describes a much different experience. Here, the user suggests that the drug made him feel as though he was “going to suffer a psychotic episode,” as his feelings of anger and aggression rose with each hit he took. The user also felt as though he would die due to his speeding heart and raging feelings. This isn’t the sort of thing a marijuana user might relate to, but it’s a common description used by people who abuse synthetic marijuana.
