New psychoactive substance (NPS) synthetic cannabinoids (also known as synthetic cannabis) was created to mimic or produce effects similar to those of cannabis. Since 2004, it has been sold online. Synthetic Cannabinoids in Australia – everything you need to know in one article!
Instead of mimicking the effects of THC (the active ingredient in cannabis), which is what synthetic cannabinoids are, they have many negative side effects that are not caused by cannabis.
Therefore, it is incorrect to refer to these products as “synthetic marijuana” or “synthetic cannabis.”
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are the proper name for these compounds, but for the sake of clarity, we’ll refer to them as synthetic cannabinoids on this page.
An Overview
What does it look like when synthetic cannabinoids are used?
To make synthetic cannabinoids, chemicals are ground into powder, dissolved in solvents, sprayed onto plants, and packaged into brightly colored, branded packets. Because manufacturers are constantly tweaking their formulas to stay one step ahead of the law, different batches of the same chemical can have vastly different effects.
So many names!
Different brands of synthetic cannabinoids are sold.
A synthetic cannabinoid product known as Spice was the first to be sold in many European countries. Many similar products, such as Kronic, Northern Lights and K2, have been developed since then.
There are a variety of products on the market that contain synthetic cannabinoids, including aphrodisiac tea, herbal incense, and potpourri.
In this article we will review the properties and effects of synthetic cannabinoids and give special reference to synthetic cannabinoids in Australia.
What is the function of synthetic cannabinoids?
The most popular method of ingesting synthetic cannabinoids is through smoking. Within minutes of taking the medication, the effects are usually noticeable.
Synthetic cannabinoids and their effects on the body
Tolerance for drug use can never be achieved. It’s impossible to avoid the possibility of side effects when using any medication. When ingesting any medication, extreme caution must be exercised.
A number of factors come into play when administering a medication, including the following: body size, weight, and health; habitual use of the medication; concurrent use of other medications; dosage; drug strength (which varies from batch to batch); and the environment (where the drug is taken).
Synthetic cannabinoids have the following potential side effects:
- relaxation
- euphoria
- a lack of balance
- racing thoughts and a pulsating heartbeat
- anxiety, paranoia, and agitation.
- the violent and aggressive behavior of psychosis
- Vomiting and chest pain
- pressure on the heart (hypertension)
- a hard time breathing
- Thermolysis (overheating)
- muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis)
- stroke and death in patients with acute kidney injury
As we mentioned above, these are the features that accompany the use of Synthetic Cannabinoids. At the bottom of the article we will see how the use of synthetic cannabinoids in Australia
Set and Setting
Synthetic cannabinoids have different affects based on a person’s mood (commonly referred to as the’set’) or the environment they are in (often referred to as the’setting’):
Set: a person’s mental state, prior experiences with psychoactive substances, and expectations of what would happen.
For example, prior to utilizing synthetic cannabis, emotions of tension or anxiety might be amplified, resulting in an unpleasant experience.
Setting: the context in which someone takes synthetic cannabinoids, including whether it is known and familiar, who they are with, whether they are indoors or outside, and the sort of music and lighting.
9 For example, although utilizing synthetic cannabinoids in a peaceful, quiet, and relaxed atmosphere might result in a positive experience, doing so in a noisy, packed situation can result in a bad one.
Before we get to talking about synthetic cannabinoids in Australia. Let’s do a brief review on overdosing and health problems resulting from the use of synthetic cannabinoids.
Overdose
- You might overdose if you take a huge amount or have a powerful batch. If you experience any of the following symptoms, phone triple zero (000) immediately.
- fast/erratic heart rate
- Breathing difficulty due to chest pain
- extreme hyperthermia (high body temperature)
- delusory behavior
The police are not required to be involved by ambulance officers.
Before we get to talking about synthetic cannabinoids in Australia. Let’s do a brief review on overdosing and health problems resulting from the use of synthetic cannabinoids.
Long-term consequences
The use of synthetic cannabinoids on a regular basis can lead to mental health issues, cardiac difficulties, and behavioral and cognitive impairments.
Synthetic cannabinoids and psychological health
People with mental health issues or a family history of mental health issues should avoid using synthetic cannabis.
People who use synthetic cannabinoids are more likely to have anxiety and depression symptoms, and long-term usage is strongly associated to major mental health disorders.
After taking synthetic cannabis, even healthy and susceptible people can develop psychosis.
Furthermore, as compared to cannabis, the psychotic symptoms associated with synthetic cannabinoids are more severe and might linger for weeks after the last use.
Tolerance and reliance
People who use synthetic cannabinoids on a daily basis might soon become addicted to the substance. They may believe they require synthetic cannabinoids to do typical tasks like as working, learning, and socializing, or simply to get through the day. They may also acquire tolerance to it, requiring higher doses of synthetic cannabinoids to get the same effect.
Sad Story About Synthetic Cannabinoids in Australia
Attention is being drawn to a rising global issue as a result of the deaths of two men and a wave of recent hospitalisation in Australia, both of which are thought to be related to the use of synthetic cannabis.
Drug users have been adopting items that claim to produce a natural high similar to that of marijuana. The effect is brought on by synthetic substances that are sprayed onto plant material and then frequently sold as “Spice,” and which are made to resemble THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana. However, according to David Caldicott, an emergency physician at the Australian National University in Canberra, “synthetic cannabinoids obviously have the potential to be substantially more harmful than the natural plant material that they apparently resemble.”
The initial purpose of the compounds was to investigate the neurology of cannabis in animals. They were never meant to be used by people. However, according to Richard Kevin, a psychopharmacology PhD candidate at the University of Sydney in Australia who is researching the effects of the synthetic chemicals on mice, “these medications aren’t too difficult to synthesis.” He claims that a capable graduate student in chemistry could prepare them in a university lab. As a result, a cottage industry creating synthetic cannabis has emerged globally. However, Kevin claims that there are “a vast variety of synthetic cannabinoids with essentially unknown toxicity” because to the lack of standards, regulations, and quality control. Additionally, according to Caldicott, “hot patches can arise where the concentration is larger than planned” because they are “just sprayed onto whatever carrier plant material is chosen.”
Batches of poisons that were highly toxic have resulted from haphazard manufacture. According to news sources, last fall’s use of synthetic cannabis alone in northern Russia resulted in 25 deaths and more than 700 illnesses.
According to Kevin, one of the reasons people take synthetic cannabinoids in Australia is to cheat drug tests. Despite targeting the same areas of the brain as THC, synthetic cannabis has a different molecular makeup and cannot be detected by traditional drug tests. Drugs that resemble cannabis have been banned in some Australian jurisdictions. However, verifying a compound’s effects might be “tricky,” according to Kevin. Additionally, manufacturers frequently alter their formulations to stay one step ahead of the law and drug tests. According to Caldicott, “the rate of evolution of these medications is such that many have never been seen before.”
You “can’t know exactly what you’re getting, so you’re taking a significant risk” when purchasing synthetic cannabis, according to Kevin. Despite the fact that certain synthetic cannabinoids seem to be very well tolerated, others have been connected to acute renal injury, panic attacks, and seizures, according to him. According to his own research on mice, “long-term memory impairment following substantial continuous dose” may be present.
If these deaths are not to increase in frequency, Caldicott believes, “we need wittier and wiser approaches to the problem of harm from drugs.”
Using synthetic cannabis in conjunction with other medicines
Taking synthetic cannabis alongside other medicines, including over-the-counter or prescription pharmaceuticals, can have unpredictable and hazardous side effects.
Synthetic cannabinoids + antidepressants: combining synthetic cannabis with antidepressant medicines such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can result in fever, rapid heartbeat, convulsions, organ failure, coma, and death.
Synthetic cannabis combined with stimulants such as crystal methamphetamine (ice) or cocaine can have extremely hazardous side effects and increase the probability of experiencing anxiety.
Polydrug usage refers to the use of more than one drug or type of drug at the same time.
Giving off synthetic cannabinoids after a lengthy period of use is difficult since the body must adjust to operating without them.
It has been observed that some persons who regularly use synthetic cannabinoids may develop withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit, including:
- sleeplessness.
- vomiting and nausea
- appetite loss
- paranoia
- Anxiety attacks
- Anxiety and irritation
- anxiety
- fluctuations in mood
- a quick heartbeat
By taking regular pauses from smoking the drug and avoiding using a big amount at once, the danger of tolerance and dependence on synthetic cannabinoids and their related effects can be decreased.
Health and security
Synthetic cannabinoids cannot be used safely in Australia or anywhere else on Earth and probably in intergalactic space as well… If you do decide to use the medicine, keep the following points in mind:
Controlling intake
- Because the potency of synthetic cannabinoids fluctuates from batch to batch, it is impossible to predict their intensity and effects (even if they have been used before).
- A very tiny dosage can be used to assess the strength and potential effects. Dose size should be gradually increased, allowing time for the preceding dose to wear off.
- Taking synthetic cannabinoids without a “mixer” such as tobacco or dried parsley should be avoided at all costs. Similarly, inhaling the substance through bongs or pipes increases the danger of overdose or adverse response.
Packaging that is misleading
- Packaging for synthetic cannabis can be deceptive. Although the components are labeled as “herbal,” the psychoactive substance is synthetic.
- It is possible that not all chemicals or their precise dosages are reported, which increases the danger of overdosing.
- Because chemicals vary from batch to batch, individual packets can create varied results, even though the package appears to be the same.
When it should not be used at all
The use of synthetic cannabinoids is more risky when:
- when combined with alcohol or other substances, especially stimulants such as crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) or MDMA
- driving or handling large machinery
- requires judgment or motor coordination
- alone (in case medical assistance is required)
- the individual has a mental health issue – the individual has a pre-existing cardiac condition
You can get treatment and support if your use of synthetic cannabinoids is harming your health, family, relationships, job, education, finances, or other life problems, or if you’re worried about a loved one.
For private and non-judgmental information and guidance regards to synthetic cannabinoids in Australia, call our Drug Info line at 1300 85 85 84 (AUSTRALIA ONLY!).
