Synthetic Marijuana Dubbed Spiced Sweets a Public Health Concern in the UK

Early this week a young woman in the UK died after consuming what was later identified as a synthetic form of marijuana. The 23 year old woman together with her friend had ordered for the “cannabis-spiced sweets” through a phone messaging app. Since, the suspected culprit has been arrested in relation to the crime which is being in possession and supplying a class B synthetic cannabinoid.

According to the Loop, cannabis sweets that are sold as spiced gummies are becoming a public health threat because they are not tested to verify what they contain. A senior scientist at The Loop, Guy Jones, reports that unlike cannabis that has the characteristic smell, the sweets are highly processed and hence are difficult to identify without testing.

While cannabis grows naturally, synthetic cannabinoids are produced in a lab. Synthetic THC, known on the streets as spice, are illegal to produce, use, or distribute in the UK. On the other hand, cannabis can be prescribed to patients with certain approved medical conditions. Even though the two compounds produce similar effects in the body, synthetic cannabinoids may pose a higher health risk because they are unregulated. They were made illegal in the UK in 2015.

A report last year revealed that several drug dealers were selling cannabis sweats laced with the psychedelic compound MDMA. The sweets called “BLISS” containing THC (up to 8mg) plus MDMA were being distributed online to school going children. Several children had to be rushed to the ER on account of this, causing a public outcry.

Spice has become popular in the UK in the last couple of years as countries from around the world continue to have positive conversations on legalizing cannabis. In the UK some forms of cannabis have been legalized for medicinal use. Countries such as Canada have legalized cannabis for recreational use. Without regulation, these synthetic and laced forms of cannabis will continue to pose a significant health risk to an unsuspecting public.