Answer:
I disagree.
Step-by-step explanation:
“Syntheticannabis” is a misnomer, and doesn’t exist. The proper term is synthetic cannabinoid.
Synthetic versions of THC and CBD, such as epidiolex and dronabinol, are perfectly healthy and safe synthetic cannabinoids. These syntheses are exact copies of THC and CBD, and so behave in the same way when binding to CB1 and CB2 receptors. They are not chemically identical to other, much more dangerous synthetic cannabinoids, such as K2 and Spice, who are only considered synthetic cannabinoids due to their ability to activate CB1 and CB2 receptors; they are very chemically different from the cannabinoids found in cannabis.
Many were synthesized in the late 90s, early 00s, and into the 2010s from laboratories around the world. Among some of the more prominent names, John W. Huffman of Clemson University synthesized over 450 cannabinoids in the JWH series, Alexandros Makriyannis of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Northeastern University who synthesized nearly 50 in the AM series and Raphael Mechoulam and his team at Hebrew University who synthesized a handful in the HU series.
Certain synthetic cannabinoids fall under a designer drug category, often sprayed onto other plant matter to be consumed through smoking. These are very chemically different from the safe synthetic cannabinoids replicating THC and CBD, among others. Often marketed as an herbal incense or “herbal smoking blend,” and even taking the dangerous name of Synthetic Marijuana, these products are not safe for human consumption and people do die from consuming them.
First invented in the early 2000s to avoid the legal restrictions surrounding cannabis, they were commonly reported as a legal and safe alternative to marijuana, but without any research backing it up. Packages often include ingredient lists of numerous plants, such as alfalfa, blue violet, nettle leaf, marsh mallow, rosehip, white or blue water lilies, honeyweed, sage, dwarf skullcap and others, but more often than not, none of these ingredients were identified in the packaging. Most packages actually contain inert vegetable matter with lab-created synthetic cannabinoids sprayed onto them. Some packages have been found with aporphine, nicotine, opioids and kratom included, and laboratory results in 2008 and 2012 discovered additional concerns, such as some packages being laced with fentanyl and brodifacoum, a dangerously potent rat poison.
Negative side effects from consuming synthetic cannabinoids are extremely common and include palpitations, intense paranoia and anxiety, nausea, vomiting, brain swelling, chest pains, poor coordination, aggression, seizures and psychotic episodes. Many synthetic cannabinoids have also been proven to display extreme compulsions to re-dose, severe withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sweating, sleeplessness and headaches, and persistent cravings. Deaths reported from synthetic cannabinoids number in the hundreds, most often from sudden heart attacks, strokes, kidney failures and muscle damage. Between 2010 and 2015, the CDC reported that 66% of drug overdoses from synthetic cannabinoids affected the central nervous system through agitation, comas or toxic psychosis, 17% through cardiovascular issues such as severe tachycardia and bradycardia, 7.6% through pulmonary problems such as respiratory depression and 4% through acute kidney injury.
Dangerous synthetic cannabinoids come under many brand names, and all should be avoided at all costs. Some of these names are the names of actual cannabis strains, however, so ensure you’re just avoiding the packaged plant versions of these name brands and not the safe cannabis varieties. Additionally, use of the term “synthetic marijuana” is a massive misnomer, as these cannabinoids are not based chemically on the cannabinoids found in marijuana. Dr. Lewis Nelson, a medical toxicologist at the NYU School of Medicine abhors the name and has tried to get rid of the term’s use in the industry.