The Growing Threat of “Spice”

The Growing Threat of Spice

By Tanasia Weaver and Daniel Morales

 

Synthetic Weed, known as Spice, K2, and other slang names, has become the new drug that turns your body into a zombie. Spice is a man made drug that is sprayed onto plant material, giving the appearance of marijuana. However, the actual effects of the drug are far different, and often induce feelings of dread, paranoia, and sadness while doing irreversible damage to your body.

Spice is commonly sold at gas stations or corner stores in a colorful foil packaging with advertising flavors such as strawberry, watermelon, and blueberry. Spice interacts with the cannibinoid receptors in your brain, similar to weed. However, the effects of spice are much more severe. It is possible to overdose on Spice, and is potentially fatal due to hypothermia or CNS depression, both of which demolish your nervous system.

Despite its negative effects, Spice has seen a drastic rise in popularity over the past few years. Cheap prices and more intense effects than cannabis have propelled the popularity of the drug. Unfortunately Spice is in and around our community as well. Brian Gelalia, a gym teacher at Wayne Hills, said “It has certainly come up but I’ve yet to physically see a kid do it. It’s hard for us to really notice because it’s very undetectable, it doesn’t come up on drug tests which is why it’s a very scary things”.

Spice is an extremely dangerous substance, and must be treated as such if we are to avoid the negative effects it can have on our bodies, and our community