By Chelsea Titus
Round Table editor

“K2 will soon be discontinued. As many of you know K2 incense has gotten a bad rep. lately, the DEA ban specifically named this product hazardous among others, so we decided to soon remove it from our site.”

– k2herbalincensesmoke.com

K2 (also known as JWH-018) is labeled as an herbal blend, marketed for home incense, but it is being used for much different purposes and could have potentially dangerous effects.

 Many people, although most popular amongst college and high school students, have been using the K2 substance, not for incense, but for smoking purposes to get high. 

 Although K2 is sometimes marketed as synthetic marijuana, the effects can be 10 times more intense than those from marijuana, according to k2drugfacts.com.

 The possible side effects include significant hallucination, cardiac effects, seizures, rapid heart rate, hypertension, severe agitation, passing out, and panic attacks. K2 samples also test positive for synthetic drug tests which makes it harder to detect the “drug” use.

 Fourteen U.S. states have outlawed chemical substances, such as K2, which have harmful effects on the body and are taking action against those who use the “drug.” An additional 12 states, including Maryland, have temporary regulations that are in place and/or has legislation proposed against the use of K2.

 “I tried K2 with one of my friends and I definitely do not recommend using it. We had lost all control of our actions and we were so scared afterwards, because we though something bad was going to happen to us.” said an anonymous Frederick County Public Schools junior (whose name has been withheld to protect identity).

 Using K2 has become more and more popular among student athletes in high school and in college.

 An article from the Drug-Free Sport hotline, which was written by an NCAA athletic trainer, reports that student-athletes were breaking apart cigarettes, mixing it with K2, rolling it back up into papers and then smoking. One young man interviewed, who had no past medical history, had a seizure and lost consciousness. He was found outside the dorm by campus security convulsing. His heart rate was elevated above 200 for enough time that he was admitted for 24 hours of observation … When asked why he did it: “I didn’t think it would be that much of a rush, I had no control over my body in that I could see but could not talk or speak.”

 According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there were 14 cases of K2 exposure in 48 states plus the District of Columbia in 2009. In 2010, that number exploded to 2,888. Already this year, there have been nearly 1,000 reported cases of accidents and deaths.

 Using K2 can be dangerous and critical toward a person’s health. Why put your health, or even your life, at risk?