Question: Has anyone else been hearing stories from RSAT clients about K-2 use in prison? What exactly is K-2 and why is it becoming so popular in prison?
Answer #1: K-2 (aka Spice, synthetic marijuana, “toochie”) was originally sold as a cannabis analog or cannabinoid. It was actually developed to be molecularly similar to cannabis, but just different enough to be legal. When it became a scheduled I illicit drug, the formula changed again and continued to do so over and over to avoid detection and regulation. This has gone on so long the K-2 is now any combination of chemicals (including rat poison and formaldehyde!) sprayed on to shredded herbs and leaves. It has taken hold in prisons because it is very unlikely to be detected by drug screens. The downside, of course, is users suffering seizures and other unpredictable effects and the growing number of deaths it has caused in custody. At least one Department of Corrections, Florida’s, has developed informational video for inmates to prevent K-2 use.
Answer #2: Here are some links to K-2 fact sheets from Drugs.Com, NIH and DEA respectively. Latest information on K-2:Synthetic Cannabinoids (Synthetic Marijuana, Spice, K2) - Drugs.com; K-2 printable handout: View PDF (drugabuse.gov); K-2 printable fact sheet: Drug Fact Sheet: K2/Spice (dea.gov)