As of 2019, ten states plus Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana use. (1) In the states that have yet to legalize the drug, people are looking to alternative substances. One of these states is Illinois, which has seen a recent spike in the sale of synthetic marijuana, also known as fake weed, spice, spice diamond, spice gold, chill X, chill out, or K2. (2, 3, 6) This substance is legally sold in convenience stores, gas stations, novelty shops, and online, and is said to produce a high akin to the one experienced from natural weed. (2) The problem is, synthetic marijuana is extremely dangerous and can have a number of harmful and unpredictable health repercussions. (2, 3)

In March 2018, one person died and 38 people were hospitalized in the Chicago area and central Illinois after ingesting too much fake weed. The victims experienced symptoms including coughing up blood, blood in the urine, and severe bleeding from the eyes, ears, gums, and nose. (2, 5) In reaction to these events, public health officials in Illinois are once again warning the public about the dangers of synthetic marijuana. (2, 5)

Defining Synthetic Marijuana

Fake weed is a substance that consists of dried plant material sprayed with chemicals called synthetic cannabinoids. (2) It is these cannabinoids that achieve the desired effect of getting the user “high.” The high is typically of greater intensity compared with natural marijuana, owing to the synthetic chemical’s increased binding affinity to the brain’s receptors. Studies show that fake weed can be between two and 100 times more potent than THC, the main psychoactive cannabinoid in natural marijuana. (3)

Furthermore, synthetic marijuana is most often ingested through smoking, typically via a bong, pipe, or cigarette. (3) However, the substance can also be consumed as tea or vaporized and consumed through e-cigarettes and other devices. (2, 7)

The Health Risks Associated with Synthetic Marijuana

Synthetic marijuana is dangerous and the use of it can result in illness or even death. Effects of fake weed on humans typically fall into three categories: neurological, physical, and psychiatric. Neurological symptoms can include but are not limited to agitation, stroke, coma, and seizures. Physical symptoms range from chest pain and kidney failure to shortness of breath, hypertension, and nausea. Finally, psychiatric symptoms include anxiety, psychosis, hallucinations, and suicidal thoughts. (3, 4, 6)

In addition, fake weed products are often poorly labeled, making it difficult for users to know exactly what the drug they’re ingesting contains. (2, 7) According to the Illinois Department of Public Health Director Nirav D. Shah, “Despite the perception that synthetic cannabinoids are a safe alternative to marijuana, they can cause very severe illness. They can contain a variety of chemicals, and users often don’t know what those are, such as rat poison.” In fact, of the 38 patients admitted to the hospital in Illinois, three cases confirmed the presence of a common ingredient in rodenticide called brodifacoum. (2)

The Treatment for Overdosing on Synthetic Marijuana

At this time, there is no known cure for a synthetic marijuana overdose. All health professionals can do is react to the symptoms exhibited. Courses of action range from providing patients with supplemental oxygen and airway protection to prescribing anti-emetic medications and intravenous benzodiazepines. (4) The Illinois Department of Public Health strongly urges anyone who has had a reaction to synthetic marijuana to phone 911 and get themselves to a hospital immediately. (2)