A type of incense being used as a marijuana alternative possesses many names, according to a Department of Justice newsletter. Most commonly referred to as K2, or Spice, the different incense are merely herbs and plants coated with chemical compounds similar to tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, the newsletter said.
When smoked, the incense mimics a high very similar to that obtained from using marijuana. Sold by a plethora of online manufacturers outside of the United States, the Department of Justice emphasizes that K2 is gaining national popularity as well and is now actually banned in several states, including Kansas and Kentucky.
One of the main compounds was originally derived from the findings of an organic chemist at Clemson University in the mid-1990s. Phillip Brown, an associate professor of organic chemistry at the University, said the compound was manipulated to fit the wishes of the drug culture.
“Its papers were published for scientific purposes only, and it’s being perverted now by these idiots who have these little designer labs. They take it, they make it, the quality’s always suspect, you never know how pure things are and they sprinkle it on anything,” Brown said.
When explaining how the drugs are still legal, Brown analogized steroids to K2.
“These people try very hard to circumvent the law,” Brown said. “‘This steroid is illegal, so we’ll make a steroid that’s very similar but we’ll make one little modification in the molecule—we’ll change it way up here—with the hopes that because it’s not that particular molecule, then it’s legal.'”
Something like K2 could easily exacerbate conditions in people who have underlying issues, Brown said.
“There will always be that small segment of people who are already a little fragile, already have some blood pressure issues or maybe they’re susceptible to having a seizure,” Brown said. “So if you’re already susceptible to seizure disorder, you start smoking K2, you might induce a seizure.”
Brown said he does not believe the companies who make the drugs conduct clinical trials to make sure the product is safe before putting it on the market.
“They’ll give it to a few junkies, make sure they don’t get sick, the junkies like it, so they start putting it out on the street. Their clinical trials are very questionable, indeed. I would not trust any of it,” Brown said. “That’s why pharmaceutical companies spend so much money and millions of dollars trying to put out a drug because they do all these studies, they want to know what the hazards are.”
K2incense.org, which advertises K2 online, does not mention drug use on its website and clearly states the product should be used as incense. There is only one mention of legality on the site.
“Our NEW products are 100% legal! Including Kansas, Russia & the UK!… EVERYWHERE,” the site said.
There is a disclaimer at the end of many product descriptions regarding effects of the drug. ”We make no claims in regards to the physiological or psychological effects of the K2 Blends on the human body. Any references to ‘K2 effects’ are anecdotal and in relation to traditional use of incense, NOT consumption. Consuming ANY K2 product under any shape or form is forbidden by the K2 manufacturer,” the website said. One blend of K2 on the site is advertised in a package deal at $279.95 for 30 grams.
N.C. State University Crime Prevention Officer Steve Carlton said there is not a lot of information on the incense for local law enforcement.
“It’s kind of something that’s going to be like salvia, in the case that we’re going to have to wait and see how training comes from the Department of Justice about how to recognize it and to see what it’s effects are,” Carlton said.
On-campus medical emergencies rarely involve something like K2.
“Most tend to be alcohol related,” Carlton said.
Friends Jenna Hunter, a freshman in microbiology, and Cassandra Bumgarner, a freshman in international relations, had differing opinions about the safety of products that are new and not widely tested.
“I have a scientific perspective,” Hunter said. “No matter what it is, you’re body’s reaction to it may not be what it is to everybody else. There’s always going to be a side effect.”
Bumgarner said “I don’t think it’s safe, it’s just if you want to do it or you don’t want to do it.”
Matt Poehler, a sophomore in psychology, when asked whether or not he thinks a widely used but untested drug is safe, replied hesitantly.
“That’s a hard question to answer,” Poehler said. “If a wide variety of people have used it and there have been no immediate effects, I believe it’s fine to try as long as you don’t abuse it.”
