How To Tell Synthetic Cannabis From The Real Thing

How To Tell Synthetic Cannabis From The Real Thing

How To Tell Synthetic Marijuana From The Real Thing from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Despite all the warnings that have been issued on the dangers of synthetic cannabis, it’s not enough to keep people off the stuff.

Just last weekend in Chicago, 32 people were reported to have been sent to the emergency room over the span of a few weeks for severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabis. According to the health department, some of the patients’ symptoms included bleeding from the eyes and ears. Other symptoms that occurred among patients in Illinois were blood in the urine, coughing up blood, bleeding gums, heavier than usual menstrual flow in women, and bloody noses.

Synthetic cannabis is serious and fatal.

Here’s what you need to know about recognizing the difference between synthetic cannabis and the real thing.

What It Looks and Smells Like

Using your senses should be your first line of defense in identifying synthetic versus real cannabis. Real pot is always sold as whole, fresh buds. On the other hand, fake pot is sold in small packets of what looks like ground-up grass or other plant material. Synthetic cannabis is usually made out of different plants, so if it resembles potpourri or looks like it’s a mix of more than 1 kind of plant, don’t buy it. More than likely, it will be fake.

Your nose knows – you should know what real cannabis smells like by now, at least if you’ve had some experience using it in the past. Real, fresh cannabis is dank AF and has a distinct, unique odor. Synthetic cannabis cannot replicate the smell of the real thing. Spice/K2 is described to have a somewhat strange aroma with strong chemical undertones combined with plant matter. Fake cannabis also usually has a strange flavor, so if it smells funky, don’t buy it.

Where Are You Buying It From?

If you live in a state where cannabis is legal, only trust licensed dispensaries. You can’t go wrong with this rule when it comes to staying safe from synthetic cannabis. Reputable dispensaries would never sell fake products.

On the other hand, if you are buying from a dealer or another source, make sure that it’s someone you trust. If it’s your first time buying from a dealer, ask around about their reputation. Ask them lots of questions about the product they sell, because a good dealer will always know their stuff. Any dealer, or dispensary for that matter, who cares about their reputation and business won’t get close to the fake stuff. Synthetic pot is usually sold by dealers online, as well as in gas stations and shady head shops.

It also helps to check the prices of the weed you’re buying. The main reason that synthetic cannabis is flourishing is because it’s much cheaper than real pot. The next reason is because it doesn’t show up on drug tests – but comes at a price to pay – your life. If your dealer is selling you cheap weed that sounds too good to be true, don’t trust it.

If you can’t trust your dealer, there is always the option of growing your own cannabis.

What Should You Do If You Ingest Synthetic Cannabis?

There are so many different forms of synthetic cannabis on the market that we can’t exactly say with precision which K2/Spice/other form of synthetic pot will produce what effect. This is because the variety of synthetic pot on the market is so great, and they are made with such a wide range of dangerous chemicals, all of which produce different signs and symptoms.

Some forms of synthetic cannabis may initially mimic the effects of real cannabis, such as feelings of elation and euphoria. The negative side effects may not manifest themselves later on. However, if you aren’t sure, be on the lookout for these symptoms:

Rapid heartbeat
Panic attacks
Vomiting
Chest pains
Muscle spasms
Elevated or reduced blood pressure
Chest pains
Hallucinations
Delusions
Extreme confusion
Impaired judgment
Disorientation
Altered states of perception
Psychosis
Extreme anxiety

Chronic use of synthetic cannabis can lead to even more debilitating side effects such as seizures, strokes, heart attacks, irreversible cognitive impairment, self-injury, attempting suicide, and destruction of personal relationships.

If you suspect that you or a friend may have been a victim of synthetic cannabis, the best thing you can do is to surrender yourself to the emergency room or the nearest poison control center.

How To Tell Synthetic Marijuana From The Real Thing from CannabisNet on Vimeo.