The Dangers Of Designer Drugs

There is a new designer drug on the market that is being marketed as synthetic marijuana. This is starting to cause great concern in the medical community. The reason for this is the fact that because these designer drugs are unregulated, no one really knows what is in them. People are showing up with terrible side effects from taking the drug and doctors do not know how to treat them. If you or someone you know is addicted to these new designer drugs, it is very critical that they receive a medical intervention as soon as possible. They may need to go through a marijuana detox before they enter drug detox programs. Synthetic marijuana is very dangerous and can lead to serious health problems for users. 

Popularity

People are flocking to these designer drugs because they promise the same natural high as regular marijuana and are legal. However, because these designer drugs are unregulated, no one really knows what is in them. This is what concerns the medical community so much. Recently, there have been many cases at hospitals and poison control centers of people coming in with negative side effects after using synthetic marijuana. Unfortunately, doctors are not certain how to treat these effects because they do not know what is actually in the drugs.

Health Effects

Synthetic marijuana has side effects that are similar to crystal meth. Many people who use the drug report feelings of depression, hallucinations, impaired coordination and panic attacks. These symptoms are the opposite of the effect a person gets from using regular, natural marijuana. One of the main problems with these synthetic drugs is that they are unregulated. Doctors do not know how to treat patients that are coming in with overdoses. If used for a prolonged period of time, synthetic marijuana can lead to very serious psychological problems for users.

Availability

Although banned in many places, Spice is still widely available. Many places will sell Spice over the counter if a customer comes in knowing the term that the particular place sells it under. Synthetic marijuana is hard to regulate because it is impossible to know what is in it. New batches are cropping up all the time at faster rates than the drug regulating agencies can get a handle on. Some suggest placing a wider ban on synthetic drugs, but others believe this will only exacerbate the problem.

Detox

Withdrawing from a drug can be a very painful and stressful experience for many people who are addicted to drugs.  As if the side effects of actually taking Spice weren’t nasty enough, the withdrawal symptoms are even worse. Once an addiction to Spice is achieved, coming off of this substance is even more painful and difficult. Withdrawal symptoms from Spice include; anxiety, trembling, tremors, heart palpitations, headaches, nausea, vomiting, depression, as well as hopelessness and desperation.

There are many health concerns with synthetic marijuana. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this new drug is that doctors do not know how to treat overdoses. It is very dangerous to take a drug that is made by someone that has no health regulations. If you know someone who has recently become addicted to synthetic marijuana, you should implore them to seek drug detox programs. Without a marijuana detox, it is very unlikely that the person will stop using the drug on their own. By getting proper medical care, it is possible for a person to break away from their addictive behaviors and start living a productive life once again.

by

AKSHAYA SRIKANTH

Pharm.D Internee

India