
Cannabis substitutes obtained due to the cannabis ban
Strange but true – there was a time when synthetic cannabis was legal in Canada but the natural herb was not. How was that even possible? If you can find a source of effective drugs that are natural and non-lethal, why would you ever want to make them with chemicals? The simple answer is a ban. If a substance is effective but illegal, you can get around the law by designing something similar. Unfortunately, designer drugs come at a price; at best, deal with side effects. In the worst case, it costs human lives. Instead of allowing cannabis to be consumed, we created ways to replace it. Starting with the mildest and ending with the worst, here’s a look at cannabis substitutes that were legally available in Canada.
Sativex is a pharmaceutical cannabis substitute
Sativex is a pharmaceutical cannabinoid blend made by GW Pharmaceuticals. The company spent nearly two decades researching cannabis medicine and developing an oral spray that was extracted from the plant. Sativex uses a CO2 extraction technique to provide a one-to-one ratio of THC and CBD. It is often prescribed to treat MS, cancer, and pain caused by neuropathy. Although it actually contains herbal cannabinoids, the dose is very low. Compared to the other methods of plant consumption, most patients report that they do not experience much of the effect.
Synthetic cannabis – Nabilone and Marinol
Nabilone is a synthetic THC recipe available in Canada and the United States. It is chemically similar to natural THC but was made in a laboratory. They don’t grow cannabis to make this THC product – they formulate it. Instead of dealing with the complexities of the cannabis plant, nabilone replicates the molecular structure of THC. While this may seem bizarre, it is a shining example of the “single drug / single target” approach. This tactic is often preferred by pharmaceutical companies and is designed to streamline the drug approval process.
The most commonly prescribed nabilone patients are those with cancer or HIV. It is designed to treat persistent nausea and promote weight gain. However, nabilone is known to produce a wide variety of negative effects; including rapid heartbeat, anxiety, and panic attacks. According to patient reports, the use of natural cannabis causes far fewer side effects than the synthetic capsule. In addition, many patients reported that inhaling natural cannabinoids made it easier to find the right therapeutic dose.
K2 aka Spice
It’s known as K2, or Spice, and it’s deadly. To make it, they take dry herb (sometimes hemp) and spray it with lab-made cannabinoids. This drug has no chemical relationship with THC, but it is designed to act similarly. Developed to exploit a technical loophole, K2 is a cocktail of legal chemicals that earns it the title of designer drug.
When ingested, K2 binds to our endocannabinoid receptors, much like a phytocannabinoid. However, the bond is stronger than the natural alternative and lasts for hours. The result is an intense high that can have dangerous side effects; some of the most common are breathing problems, fast heartbeat, extreme anxiety, and psychosis. In addition, long-term use can lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
Unlike cannabis, K2 (also known as spice) is extremely dangerous. Because of its attachment to our brains, it is easy to overdose when using K2 as a cannabis substitute, but that’s not the only way it can kill. One of the leading causes of K2-related deaths is behavioral risks. With side effects such as hallucinations and paranoia, there have been incidents related to K2 use by users getting into traffic and jumping or falling from deadly heights.
Why couldn’t they leave nature alone? Replacing cannabis with unnatural alternatives has done our society no favors, it has caused more hardship. Fortunately, our lawmakers are starting to favor evidence over loopholes. As high quality cannabis becomes more accessible, synthetic cannabis will become extinct.
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