What is K2?

K2 is a combination of herbs mixed with a lab-produced strain of marijuana and is usually “marketed” as incense or bath salts.

Where is it sold?

It is sold in packets of herbs at “head shops” (outlet specializing in drug paraphernalia) gas stations, convenience stores and online for about $30 – $40 per 3-gram bag with nothing more than a credit card or PayPal account.

Other names for K2:

According to the U.S. Drug Intelligence Center, the drug also goes by Spice, Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Solar Flare, K2 Summit, Genie, PEP Spice, and Fire n Ice.

Is it Legal?

In most states it’s still legal. Although many legislators are working to get it banned. It was a growing trend in 2010, as the American Association of Poison Control Centers received 2,000 reports of people who became sick after smoking K2, compared with only a dozen in 2009.

Oh and It Works!!

At least, that was the conclusion of an intrepid reporting team from Kansas City’s The Pitch. Five testers bought two varieties of K2 at a botanical store and “smoked up in the parking lot like a bunch of high school kids getting stoned before first bell.”

The overwhelming consensus, among both regular and nonregular pot smokers, was that K2 got the job done — but not for long enough.

“It didn’t last long, but I did feel some visual effects (things appeared bright, slightly blurry) and a relaxed physical state,” noted one tester.

And if you don’t like pot, you probably won’t be into the synthetic variety. “K2 made me feel just as uncomfortable and self-conscious as actual marijuana,” reported a nonsmoker. “Two thumbs up!”

What are the side effects?

It can cause panic attacks, racing heart beats, hallucinations and has other life threatening side effects. Please know the signs to look for and talk with your tweens and teens about the dangers of K2