Fasting Required: No
Specimen: Blood
Results: 1-2 Business Days
Description: Synthetic Marijuana, called K2 or Spice, use has become widespread in the US, especially by those trying to avoid detection during drug testing. The drug compound was initially developed in a laboratory to study the effects of the active ingredient of marijuana, THC, on the brain. The formula for the drug, named JWH-018 in the lab, was soon marketed as a legal substitute for marijuana. K2/Spice mimics the effect of THC but is usually much stronger than marijuana and can cause unexpected side effects such as seizures, hallucinations, psychotic episodes, severe kidney damage and heart attacks.   It soon became readily available, as “natural incense” or “potpourri”, online and in herbal smoke shops.  Synthetic Marijuana is now the third most reported substance used by US high school students (11%). The DEA banned the initial 5 compounds in 2011 but many others are being made and drug tests for the compounds are not included on standard drug panels.  Because drug “chemists” continue to create new variations of K2/Spice the DEA continues to add new synthetic cannabinoid drug compounds to its list of banned substances. In July of 2012 the DEA expanded the list of synthetic cannabinoids to 20 drug compounds.