Parents- be aware of these names: K2, Blonde, Summit, Citron, Spice, Genie or Zohai. These are all slang and/or brand names for a perfectly legal product that mimics the effects of marijuana but yet may in effect be more dangerous than marijuana.
K2 is the most common name for a product that is sold and often packaged as incense and can often be found in convenience stores and head shops. Users roll it up into joints or smoke it in pipes to achieve a sensation similar to that produced by marijuana. Although banned in most of Europe, the ingredients used in K2 are not regulated in most of the U.S. Only recently have several states including Alabama banned its sale. Currently, its sale is still legal in Mississippi.
K2 consists of typically harmless herb and spice products that are then sprayed with a chemical compound called JWH-018. Developed in the 1990's, JWH-018 mimics the effects of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Unfortunately because the product is not regulated and is marketed as incense, other more toxic ingredients may be included as well. In the MidWest, there are some reports of more adverse side effects such as elevated blood pressure, agitation and vomiting. Because it is a relatively new compound, the long term effect of JWH-018 is unknown.
Other states have recently inacted a ban on the sale and possession of K2 and the Iowa Board of Pharmacy recently used its emergency powers to reclassify the product as a Schedule 1 drug instead of waiting for the Iowa Legislature to act. Several communities in Mississippi have enacted or are considering bans on the product.
K2 can also easily be purchased over the internet at prices comparable to the street price of marijuana. It is marketed as scented incense in flavors such as grape, blueberry, cherry and green apple. Currently there are no reliable or available drug tests to detect the drug's use.
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