Synthetic weed ban : Yes or No?
Over the past couple of years, legislative bodies have banned the manufacture, sale and possession of so-called legal weed (a misnomer, because many herbal incense contents have been banned in states and countries for a while now). Some see this as a knee jerk reaction by governments responding to media sensationalism, while others see these untested, unknown synthetic cannabinoids as a real and present danger. For example, side effects of K2, Spice and other synthetic cannabis brands land people in emergency rooms across the U.S.
Those who are called for the ban of herbal incense blends are in the ascendancy and marshal many arguments to support their cause. Does Spice have THC? – No. Instead, ingredients of synthetic weed are often unknown and, more importantly, unregulated. Batches of synthetic weed can be many times more potent than the THC found in marijuana and have serious side effects such as psychotic episodes, hallucinations and cardiac problems.
Listed below are the top 5 reasons legal weed and should be made illegal according to its detractors:
Top 5 reasons legal weed should be made illegal
1. Lack of research on effects.
Synthetic cannabis has not been around long enough for any research to be done on the effects of long term use. In fact synthetic weed was only just created in the mid-90′s in research labs to investigate the cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system. Some argue that it is best to make synthetic weed illegal now, rather than let society face the potential health problems later on. The ‘better safe than sorry’ argument.
But the fact is that nobody knows the long term damage that synthetic weed can do. There are many reports (including some on this website) that detail the horrific side effects experienced smoking legal weed… and these are just the short term consequences.
2. Unscrupulous manufacturers.
There is a lot of money to be made from manufacturing and selling synthetic weed. Even more if you cut corners and produce inconsistent batches of unlabeled products (not that there are any corners to be cut when it comes to an unregulated product). The bottom line is that you just don’t know what you’re inhaling into the very core of your body when you take synthetic weed.
3. Equating legal with safe.
One of the main arguments leveled against legal weed is that people tend to think that if something is legal then it must not do them any damage (despite evidence to the contrary – think of alcohol and cigarettes). Herbal incense dangers are present and real. Synthetic weed is not safe so it shouldn’t be legal.
4. Driving while intoxicated.
This argument follows from the above. People might be under the misapprehension that because synthetic weed is legal, then it must be O.K. to drive while under the influence of products like Spice. This is not the case. On top of this, reliable tests have been devised to test for synthetic cannabinoids, but are expensive. So it is currently impossible for enforcement officers to test drivers for these substances. Banning synthetic weed is the only solution.
5. No therapeutic benefits.
If drugs that have real therapeutic benefits like marijuana, opiates and the like are illegal (for recreational use) then why on earth should a drug that has very real effects and no seemingly ‘useful’ application be legal?
So there you have it, the top 5 reasons ‘legal’ weed should be banned. There are many, if not more, arguments against banning synthetic weed. But that is another post for another day. If you would like to put forward your views on this topic, then please leave your comment below.
7:56 am
January 22nd, 2012
No to the Ban! There have been therapeutic benefits. Many people say they are more relaxed after aromatherapy treatment. With the help of herbal incense, many have decreased depression and anxiety.
12:06 pm
January 23rd, 2012
you must be someone who supports herbal incense as a manufacturer. why don’t you go to some of the other articles on addiction blog and read what this does to people. there is nothing good about it. better yet, buy some and smoke it for about a month straight and experience first hand how it takes control and ruins life as you know it. stop smoking it and experience the painful withdrawals and addiction.
1:45 am
January 24th, 2012
Yes it should most certainly be banned. Do a google search for “synthetic weed death” and look at how many people have already died from this stuff. Mostly kids who were just having a good time and before they knew it they were in panic and then DEAD. You don’t get a second chance when you’re dead. Look at the other posts on this website to see what others have experienced, it’s horrible. There is not a single documented case of marijuana killing anyone, if you think so find it. This stuff is NOT marijuana, not even close. Ban it.
6:49 am
January 24th, 2012
Well, i agree, synthetic weed does need to be banned. I did a google search just to see what other posters recomended and see where their comming from. I honestly didn’t hear about synthetic weed until I saw this blog. Talk about scary, why would anybody want to put chemicals into their body that has no regulation and no therapeutic benefits? Thats almost like saying drinking drain-o is healthy because it cleans the bacteria thats in your body. One thing I have learned, if its man made (synthetic) not natural for the human body to consume or inhale, has adverse side effects (even death) it cannot be good by any means. It does not matter how much a sales person wants someone to believe (and that is exactly what a supporter of synthetic weed is), its not good. I will vote to ban synthetic weed.
2:20 pm
January 24th, 2012
totally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3:58 am
January 29th, 2012
Hell yes with the vote. I smoked Diablo 3 and a half months ago, saw the same thing for 2 hours as I was laying unconscious on the ground. Im now EXTREMELY afraid of immediate repetition. Like the dumbass I was being, I smoked King Kong about a month later. Was only passed out for around a minute, but the stuff left me in depersonalization, derealization, and agoraphobia. I have panic attacks somewhat frequently now. I messed everything up from this drug.
11:14 pm
February 5th, 2012
If you would like to contact your State House Representative here’s the link:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
11:43 pm
February 7th, 2012
Smoked real weed for 30 yrs and I was out recently and decided to give herbal incense/potpourri a try.
After purchasing this legal product at a local headshop.
I went home took one hit and experienced the worst 2 hours of my life.
It was hell on earth.
Heart palpitations,rapid chest beat, fear of dying etc.
I WILL STICK TO REAL WEED FROM HERE ON OUT.
That stuff sold as ‘synthetic weed’ is NOTHING like the weed I’ve smoked over the last 30 years.
I will never EVER purchase another bag of herbal incense/potpourri for as long as I live.
Lucky I didn’t die that night.
A young football player died recently from this stuff and it was what Demi Moore smoked the night she had convulsions and rapid heart beat.
(google the released 911 tape if you don’t believe me)
I think I’m moving to a state with legal MJ dispensaries.
8:36 am
February 8th, 2012
Yes ban it!! It has change my fiance into a person i dont know anymore….
12:34 am
February 15th, 2012
BAN IT! -
I am a 23 year-old female.
I used to smoke spice – heavily, about 3 blunts every night alone – this addiction got pretty INTENSE. I could not stop doing it even though I knew it was causing me serious mental harm (not to mention bankrupting me), but I eventually had a wake-up call.
I smoked Diablo (I used to LOVE the potent ones … but ANYTHING with “devil” of any language is bad news) which I was used to since I paid ridiculous money for the most potent I could get… Anyway, this time something was different. It caused me to have involuntary muscle spasms/movements – I could not stop thinking that my hypothalamus would shut down any minute and I would die b/c of this stupid drug. After about 24 (yes, 24) painfully LONG hours I started to come back down to normal.
Now, I was seriously addicted to this, SO I tried 100% Pure Evil, another one that I knew was potent, SAME thing occurred – only worse! This time I could not control my thoughts – it seemed that a thousand people were talking to me at once about every single problem that had/could potentially occur – this combined with the uncontrolled muscle spasms and the fact that I had to pace constantly for 5 hours straight FINALLY scared me straight! (lol)
While I still get the urge to do it, I am done with it FOR GOOD. (I’d like to interject here and say that I had to stick to weak blends, such as Green Window, when trying to quit because I was unable to quit cold turkey. Even with the horrible things it did to me, it is SO ADDICTING that I had to taper off.)
I believe this stuff has the potential to cause serious mental illness and should not be used by anyone. I heard voices for some time after using spice. I’ve honestly tried almost every kind I could get my hands on – BUT the ones I would seriously recommend staying away from are – 100% Pure Evil, Diablo, and Red Devil – the rest cause issue, but it was mild in comparison.
I used to be a huge proponent of spice and urged all of my friends to try it, but now I regret that I ever even did the stuff. It causes much more harm than good and I only used it for about 5 months before the “incident.” Also, I might add that the more potent ones (like the ones mentioned) tend to cause psychedelic trips – surreal reality, visions – in fact, one time, I had an entire cartoon/talk show in my head. I wasn’t even able to reach reality after a certain point. In conclusion, spice (any form) is BAD NEWS – do it if you must, but eventually, I guarantee you will regret it. I was lucky to survive this shit. Good luck to the rest of you.
Fortunately, they banned “spice” shortly after my experience – which REALLY helped me to quit, but I feel bad for people that are hooked and do not have the same deterrent I do. Help those that cannot help themselves!
7:27 pm
February 15th, 2012
Hi everyone I’m tying right now to detox at home cold turkey is Pretty rough i can tell you . I have been smoking mr nice guys crap mostly relaxinol about 10 grams a day for the never really stopping for more than a couple of hours. Well I def messed my life up lost my job cashed I my pension money to support my sick habit. I live In a project in NYC u can actually find insence at 3 different newstands on my block. Anyways I hit rock bottom one morning called my father crying like a girl to come get me imagine that a thirty year old man crying beggIng for help. People around the neighborhood ask me if I’m lost when they see me or if I had begun smoking crack
7:30 pm
February 15th, 2012
I haven’t stopped sweating for five days
1:25 pm
February 16th, 2012
Hi legallyhooked. I feel for you. hitting rock bottom is the only way that we stop hurting ourselves! And it hurts, but there is hope.
If you live in NYC you may be able to get help trying to stop. Do you know how and where to apply for social services for addicts? It sounds like you could definitely benefit from either a treatment center / detox or at the least personal counseling.
Let us know what your zip is, and we can search for local agencies that can help.
1:39 pm
February 16th, 2012
yeah today is the day. after being up all night vomiting and hacking up a lung, i have decided to go to the doc. my wife is so concerned for me she thought i would die. it is bankrupting me and my family, as well as putting my body through absolute hell. getting help is very hard too. i would like the number to some agencies for some help of my own. im in indiana. 46550. i am to the point where i am a strong advocate for banning all variations of synthenic weed.
3:13 am
February 17th, 2012
I wanna update my status it’s day 7 since I have been off the stuff. My appetite has returned to about 2 small meals aday. I don’t sweat as much but it’s still uncomfortable to have to keep mopping yourself up all day long. I was able to take relief in about 4mg of Valium a day it reduced the anxiety and helped me get some much needed sleep. I think I’m over the hump. I don’t think I will be going into detox or rehab but if I had to go through what I have just been I would have checked myself into somewhere. Thanks for the offer for assistance I have a strong support system in my family. Again caution to those who think thOs is a safe alternative to weed it isn’t I would say its more like meth or crack in the sense that u have to use every few hours or u will be sick. MJ never had me waking up 3 times a night just to get off.
9:43 am
February 17th, 2012
I can’t believe the news won’t focus on the real reason Demi Moore had to go to the hospital it says right in the 911 tapes that she smoked something like pot but a kind of Inscence . Are u kidding me and them TMZ goes and says they received a tip from her inner circle it was whippets and not herbal incense Why would they cover that up
1:17 pm
February 17th, 2012
ok so the doc says i have bronchitits and pnemonia. this is the worst i felt in a long long time. i smoke upwards of 10 grams a day of LOL and FLAMIN and like legally hooked said, you get up during the night and that is all that is on your mind. I did some checking yesterday and i could not find a rehab/ addictions center that would detox for synthetic. i must have talked to ten people in my area and they all said the same thing. i do not understand why the government will not address the real problem of this stuff and realize that it is ruining people life’s on a daily basis. hopefully this will be enough of a wake up call for me. they cover it up because they do not want us knowing just how dangerous and addicting it is.
3:09 pm
February 17th, 2012
Hey dhub I really feel for you after six months of being a zombie after this stuff its day eight for me and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel hang in there
5:27 am
February 19th, 2012
I’m a 55 year old professional.
Been smoking a bit of the more potent blends (lately jeffrey is my fave) for about 1 1/2 hrs. Lifelong pothead, smoked for arthritis and IBS relief and just to feel better.
but new gig drug tests so when I found this I was estatic.
I smoke only small hits, more doesn’t help. Maybe a gram a week,
Sure, there were a few times when I thought I was doing too much, like going to work high.
But backing off has always been easy. Just switch to weaker stuff or even just cigars. I do always come back to it after a few weeks,.
Because I likebit.
I think the addiction potential is low for most users.
I don’t think the stuff should be illegal.
It’s just not big brothers business what I smoke.
Would rather see it better controlled, ingredients listed.
Sure, keep it away from
10:11 pm
February 20th, 2012
hell ya….bad stuff. Stuff is going to end up on weed. Cigarette Company’s and smoke shops should be worried too.. People are cutting back on buying cigs & glass water pipes. Sales in the smoke shops are all backwards with synthetic’s dominating sales now…Ask a store owner. there all spice pushers, and this is there bread and butter now.
Maybe when a big high ranking politicians kids smoke it and something bad happens..
Why is are government allowing this poison. Obama,,, needs to ban all potpourri w/chem on it. Now!, turning people into fry brain zombies . you will sleep better if you stop……don’t be fooled. fools gold is for fools.so is synthetic’s Mary Jane. hello!