Can you detect k2 in a drug test

Because of this similarity, synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called synthetic marijuana or fake weed , and they are often marketed as safe, legal alternatives to that drug. In fact, they are not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana; their actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening. Synthetic cannabinoids are part of a group of drugs called new psychoactive substances NPS.

NPS are unregulated mind-altering substances that have become newly available on the market and are intended to produce the same effects as illegal drugs. Some of these substances may have been around for years but have reentered the market in altered chemical forms, or due to renewed popularity.

Synthetic cannabinoid products are often labeled "not for human consumption. However, the only parts of these products that are natural are the dried plant materials. Chemical tests show that the active, mind-altering ingredients are cannabinoid compounds made in laboratories. Manufacturers sell these products in colorful foil packages and plastic bottles to attract consumers.

They market these products under a wide variety of specific brand names. For several years, synthetic cannabinoid mixtures have been easy to buy in drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores, gas stations, and over the internet. Because the chemicals used in them have no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse, authorities have made it illegal to sell, buy, or possess some of these chemicals.

However, manufacturers try to sidestep these laws by changing the chemical formulas in their mixtures. Easy access and the belief that synthetic cannabinoid products are natural and therefore harmless, have likely contributed to their use among young people. Another reason for their continued use is that standard drug tests cannot easily detect many of the chemicals used in these products.

The most common way to use synthetic cannabinoids is to smoke the dried plant material. This strip is made for the detection in human urine of " K2 " or " Spice " type of synthetic cannabinoids synthetic cannabis.

Their only common point is to activate the same receptors in the human body CB1 and CB2 receptors. That said, the molecules of synthetic cannabis and "natural" cannabis are very different. K2 is the first generation of synthetic cannabinoids to appear on the market in the mid's. This drug is still abused, but it is important to notice that a second generation of synthetic cannabinoids has now arrived, named K2 or AB-Pinaca. K2 is a synthetic drug comprised of active ingredients sprayed onto dried plant material and chopped herbs.

Unlike natural marijuana, which contains the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol THC , K2 uses synthetic cannabinoids to replicate the effects of THC. There are hundreds of known chemical forms of synthetic cannabinoids , and manufacturers frequently create new variations to dodge existing laws. Currently, about 50 variants of synthetic cannabinoids are regulated or outlawed in the United States source. Often colored beige, red, or brown, K2 resembles herbal tobacco, potpourri, or natural marijuana in appearance.

As we mentioned above, K2 goes by several names including all of the following:. So what is K2 exactly? And how about spice? K2 and Spice are the two most common brands of the drug, and their names have become generic terms for all forms of synthetic cannabis. Since its introduction in the early s, K2 has become popular worldwide, with many users purchasing the drug over the Internet.

As we mentioned above, natural marijuana and synthetic marijuana differ greatly due to their chemical base. Natural marijuana contains THC, while K2 contains synthetic cannabinoids. Although chemically similar to THC, synthetic cannabinoids affect the brain receptors in a different and often more dangerous way. For example, some are much stronger than THC, because they bind to the cell receptors more forcefully source. This can cause a variety of adverse side effects, including high blood pressure, vomiting, seizures, blurred vision, severe anxiety, paranoia, violent behavior, suicidal thoughts, heart attacks, and even death.

Many K2 manufacturers produce the drug overseas in cheap labs with low standards. Products differ dramatically from one another and from batch to batch.