Synthetic marijuana: the dangerous synthetic cannabinoids

Hello everyone, good morning, good afternoon or good evening, wherever you are. What is this synthetic marijuana, you may be wondering? Well, synthetic cannabinoids are a type of compound that mimics the effect of cannabis, made in laboratories. They were originally developed for medical use.

However, and very unfortunately, synthetic marijuana refers more specifically to a type of illegal drug that is very harmful to health and bears no resemblance to the plant's natural cannabinoids. Today I'd like to tell you about this fascinating subject, which I learned about in order to write this piece for you.

Where does synthetic marijuana come from?

Types of cannabinoids

As you'll know by now, cannabinoids are chemical compounds of diverse origin [1].

Cannabinoids produced by the body are called endocannabinoids, and one example is anandamide. Phytocannabinoids, on the other hand, are produced by plants, especially cannabis, and one example is CBD or cannabidiol.

Where do synthetic cannabinoids come from?

There are also synthetic cannabinoids, made under laboratory conditions. These synthetic cannabinoids are said to have been developed originally for therapeutic purposes [1].

Although synthetic cannabinoids were apparently produced for medical purposes, they have a high potential for abuse, especially among young people.

Synthetic cannabinoids are colloquially known as synthetic marijuana, because they can look like dried plant material and they act on the endocannabinoid system. However, as we will see, they have nothing to do with the compounds produced by cannabis.

What is synthetic marijuana?

Synthetic marijuana, also known as spice or K2, is a type of drug made in a laboratory.

These synthetic cannabinoids, wrongly called synthetic marijuana, are a major public health concern because of their high and unpredictable toxicity, their high potential for abuse, particularly among young people, and their high rate of use [3]. Apparently, synthetic cannabinoid use is twice as high among young men as among young women [4].

What does synthetic marijuana look like?

It can come as a powder, a liquid or dried plant material (because it is sprayed onto plant material). It is sold as having stronger effects than cannabis, and it can be smoked, vaped or swallowed.

Why are they called synthetic cannabinoids if they're nothing like cannabis?

Synthetic marijuana has a different chemical structure from the cannabinoids found in the plant *Cannabis sativa*.

Why is it called synthetic marijuana?

The reason they are called synthetic cannabinoids is that the drug acts on the endocannabinoid system, just like cannabis, although its effects are dangerous compared with those of weed.

Synthetic marijuana is a drug made of synthetic cannabinoids that act on the endocannabinoid system

Technically, cannabinoids are defined as those substances that interact with our endocannabinoid system. That is why synthetic marijuana is classed as a cannabinoid, even though it does not resemble the compounds of the plant we all know.

The endocannabinoid system is involved in many physiological functions, such as cognitive and behavioural processes, motor control, pain, appetite, cardiovascular parameters, cardiovascular motility and immune regulation, among many other processes [1].

The endocannabinoid system is made up of the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors and the cannabinoid enzymes [2].

History of cannabinoid synthesis

In the 1960s, Professor Raphael Mechoulam and his colleagues isolated and then synthesised under laboratory conditions the phytocannabinoid THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), found in the cannabis plant [5].

Although the cannabis plant produces them in their acidic form (THCA), I will refer to these cannabinoids in their neutral form (THC). Thanks to this work, the cannabinoid receptors of the human body, CB1 and CB2, were identified.

THC was identified as a partial agonist of these receptors [5]. An agonist is a molecule that activates the receptor; in other words, it makes the receptor produce a biological response.

CBD and THC have opposite effects on the human body

CBD or cannabidiol, another phytocannabinoid from the Cannabis sativa plant, acts differently from THC. Apparently, CBD has no direct effect on the CB1 and CB2 receptors, but it acts on other receptors, such as the serotonergic ones [6].

However, CBD does act as an antagonist of the CB1 and CB2 receptors in vitro [7]. An antagonist of these receptors stops, reduces or prevents the effect of endocannabinoids. CBD also regulates the unpleasant effects of THC, such as anxiety [8].

Synthetic cannabinoids for therapeutic use

Building on Mechoulam's findings, prescription medicines were developed by synthesising THC under laboratory conditions, such as the medicines dronabinol (Marinol®, Syndros®) and Cesamet (nabilone) [5].

And although these drugs are used therapeutically, many of them also have adverse effects [5], similar to those caused by the synthetic cannabinoids I will mention below.

Even so, they also have therapeutic potential, at least in animal studies, which have found that they can treat diseases such as cancer, pain and inflammation, among others [5]. It has also been reported that patients with anorexia treated with dronabinol gained weight without major psychoactive effects [9].

Synthetic cannabinoids for medical use can also have adverse effects, similar to those of the ones sold on the illegal market.

The methods for synthesising CB1 and CB2 receptor agonists were used by chemists who began clandestinely producing synthetic cannabinoids for illicit purposes [5].

What are the effects of synthetic marijuana?

Types of synthetic cannabinoids

There are several types of cannabinoids in synthetic form, also known as synthetic marijuana or synthetic cannabis.

How do the effects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids differ?

As I mentioned above, phytocannabinoids such as THC and synthetic cannabinoids both stimulate the same CB1 and CB2 receptors. However, synthetic cannabinoids are associated with high rates of toxicity and hospitalisation compared with natural cannabis [3].

This is because synthetic cannabinoids are direct agonists of the cannabinoid receptors [3], and have an affinity four to five times greater than that of THC [10], which is a partial agonist [3].

Unlike THC, which is a partial agonist, synthetic cannabinoids are direct agonists of the endocannabinoid receptors.

In addition, these synthetic cannabinoids act unpredictably. The products that contain them and are sold on the illicit market may also contain other contaminants [3].

What is the chemical structure of synthetic marijuana?

The chemistry of cannabinoids

Cannabinoids (agonists or antagonists of the endocannabinoid receptors) are a diverse group of lipid-soluble (fat-soluble), non-polar and volatile compounds. They have a structure of 22 to 26 carbon atoms and are characterised by a structural chain of four to nine saturated carbons [11].

What is the chemical composition of synthetic cannabinoids?

The molecule of synthetic cannabinoids has a main core with an aromatic structure (benzene-based hydrocarbons) linked to a second part, which may be an alkyl chain (a functional group containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms), joined by carbon atoms [1].

The structure of synthetic cannabinoids is not related to that of phytocannabinoids, although both have a two-ring conformation [11].

The chemical structure of synthetic cannabinoids is not related to that of phytocannabinoids such as THC

These synthetic cannabinoids fall into different chemical groups, such as naphthoylindoles, benzoylindoles, phenylacetylindoles, adamantylindoles, cyclophenols and various other groups [10].

The adverse effects of using synthetic marijuana

What does taking synthetic marijuana do to you?

Like phytocannabinoids, synthetic cannabis can be smoked, swallowed or vaporised, and it also has psychoactive effects [3].

Several medical problems have been reported after using synthetic cannabinoids, popularly known as synthetic marijuana. They include tachycardia, agitation, dizziness, hallucinations, high blood pressure, paranoia, seizures, nausea, confusion, vertigo, irritability, difficulty speaking and chest pain [3, 10].

Other serious medical consequences of using synthetic marijuana have been kidney, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular damage [3].

Using synthetic marijuana can lead to serious health problems, such as kidney damage and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular complications.

Types of synthetic marijuana

One of the best-known synthetic cannabinoids is ADB-PINACA, which, as I described earlier, has caused kidney disease [5]. In mice, this synthetic cannabinoid caused seizures [12]. Others include spice or K2.

What does synthetic marijuana look like?

Synthetic marijuana products are marketed under names such as incense, fragrance and potpourri.

These products look like natural dried cannabis flower that has already been ground, at least in the photos I saw [13].

These synthetic cannabinoids are sprayed onto dried, ground flower to be smoked, and they are also sold in liquid form to be vaporised or inhaled in e-cigarettes [14].

And so, after studying synthetic cannabinoids and the serious consequences that using synthetic marijuana can have, I wonder: if we have such a special plant that produces so many compounds, why put our health at risk with these synthetic cannabinoids? Aren't the natural compounds produced by the cannabis plant enough for us, when it can also bring us medical benefits and we can literally grow it in a cupboard, in the shower or in the basement?

I hope you enjoyed learning about synthetic marijuana as much as I did, and that you were left as frightened as I was. I strongly urge you not to take any drug of this kind.