Synthetic cannabis is a new product in the market of smoke shops and it is easily becoming one of the most popular. Cannabis is known more commonly by its actual name, ‘marijuana.’ It has been used for centuries now for medicinal and sensory purposes. In fact, the latter is the main reason why cannabis has become such a wide-spread smoke solution in today’s world. Most people who try it enjoy the psychoactive effects and how it brings on an immediate feeling of relaxation. Still- there has been controversy with the product. This undeniable controversy has directly brought about a new product, synthetic cannabis. Synthetic cannabis is just that, man-made, and yet able to mirror the effects of marijuana in its pure form. Delta-9 tetrahydrocannainol is the active chemical ingredient of marijuana that carries the hallucinogenic effect, and is illegal in many areas of the world. Its man-made counterpart is created without the illegal ingredient, thus making it DEA-safe. Users worry about the product being under the watchful eye of their jurisdictions.
Synthetic cannabis is best known in the market as either Spice Smoking Blend or K2 Incense. If you go to a grocery store, convenience outlet, or smoke shop, you likely are going to find many different options to purchase. Since 2000, the product has been readily available to smokers around the world. Its main advantage is its legal stance, but it also has another positive attribute. It is undetectable in a drug test. While the pure form of cannabis is a problem for those who need to be tested, the synthetic form does not show up. It doesn’t have the illegal ingredient and is completely herbal in its makeup. By eliminating its detectability in drug tests and its illegal component, synthetic cannabis is quickly growing in popularity. The uses for synthetic cannabis are widespread too. The product oftentimes is marketed to buyers as an herbal incense product, or an herbal smoking blend. Though some users prefer to smoke ere is an equally strong group of buyers who want to burn it without direct ingestion. This can be a calming way to experience a milder effect of the smoking blend.
Although some compounds are still legal within the United States, synthetic cannabis is not without its own controversies. Some components of the product are being called into question. Research has shown that it may be related to psychosis and prolonged episodes of chronic psychotic episodes. The truth for this claim though as of yet has never been produced. Long-time users believe that there are enough positive attributes, as opposed to negative ones, to fully supports its marketing and promotion around the world. The bottom line is that the ‘designer drug’ has been created without the active cannabis ingredient Delta-9 tetrahydrocannainol since around 2004. It first showed up in Europe and quickly gained popularity from there. Most manufacturers have been aggressive in their promotions and for good reason. They have made o create blends with traditional medicinal herbs. Elements like nymphaea caerulea, sculellaria nana, leonotis leonurus, zomia latifolia and canavalia maritime are all a part of the mix. While no official studies on safety have been conducted as of yet, millions of repeat users espouse the safety of the herbal blend. In the US there are plans to scrutinize synthetic cannabis. Though it is claimed to be composed of legal and herbal elements, the government is trying to crack down on its distribution. Though official status of various components are not illegal, the DEA is trying to do further testing to make sure that determination is correct. So far, US law has temporarily scheduled a final determination to be made on the drug, noting some elements are headed under ‘elements of concern.’ There is still some controversy that the man-made drug may induce seizures, heart racing, elevated blood pressure, anxiety, agitation, hallucinations and overall paranoia. Several states in the US are delving desting synthetic cannabis. Kansas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Louisiana have all independently made the decision to make it illegal under their own state laws. Arkansas likely is going to follow suit in coming months. Outside of the US there are also investigations into synthetic cannabis being planned. Russia, for example, has already created an initiative to control smoke blends and their sales. The country is marketing the product under a variety of different names and manufacturers are looking for ways to sneak it under the watchful eyes of the government. On the other hand, Finland is a country that considers the smoke blend medicinal, and therefore has no restrictions on it. The United Kingdom did a turn around on the blend in December of 2009 making it illegal upon reclassification of various drug substances. The bottom line for the whole world is that legislators are trying to regulate synthetic blends. This is creating a secondary problem to deal with that history has experienced time and time again. For any popular substance prohibition has always been a possible solution explored by the government, but with little success. Manufacturers take it upon themselves to create anything that is in demand and that includes substances like synthetic cannabis. When the government limits what people can buy, underground manufacturers rise up to sell in-demand products ‘under the table.’ This creates an even bigger problem for the market because many of them create ingestible substances that are well below safety regulations. Some are even blatantly dangerous to the general public. This issue makes it more of a priority for governments to sort through the issue. Legislators are well aware of the dangers of leaving the illegal market rise up and take over. Not only would it cause millions of dollars to be lost, but it potentially could put millions of users at risk for serious medical maladies and long-term disabilities. Synthetic cannabis is a market of its own, but not without some specific ranaged. Users and legislators alike need to focus on safe usage and distribution, respectively, to ensure public safety. Still, until the issue is further discussed, synthetic cannabis can be a safe and legal alternative to marijuana.
In the end, synthetic cannabis is a product that is man-made and legal. The herbal blend has come into the market on the heels of marijuana as a safe alternative. Due to its complete herbal makeup, it is considered by many to be the perfect smoke product. Its growth in popularity is only going to continue as more people are drawn in by its potency, smoke effect and overall herbal mix.