DEA Bans Five More Man-made Cannabinoids

Synthetic cannabinoids were first created in a lab based on the structure of herbal cannabinoids in 1941 as part of a research group led by Roger Adams. Cannabinoids are the ingredients found in the marijuana plant. The purpose of creating man-made cannabinoids is for research purposes.

Unfortunately, these synthetic cannabinoids are turning up in a number of drug busts and are used to create illegal substances. As a result of this, the Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Administration has added five synthetic cannabinoids as part of the Controlled Substances Act. Two of these synthetic substances were originally produced in labs in the early '80s for medicinal purposes. Since then, they have become a staple of the illegal drug trade.

Despite its negative aspects, elements of marijuana are known to have effective medicinal elements. The idea of creating cannabinoids in a laboratory is to try to harness the positive medicinal elements from these compounds. In fact, a number of medicines use synthetic cannabinoids. Some of these include Dronabinol (an appetite stimulant), Sativex (an oral spray used to relieve pain) and Rimonabant (an anti-obesity drug).

Eighteen states have banned Synthetic cannabinoids, with others considering legislation to ban them. Several countries and all branches of the U.S military also ban these compounds. The DEA has discovered that the five synthetic cannabinoids now officially banned are typically sprayed on marijuana plants and smoked. They are also used in water pipes and sprayed on paper used to roll traditional marijuana. The concern is that these artificially created compounds can be dangerous in high amounts. This is not something casual users of these compounds take into consideration.

In 2010, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported at least 112 calls related to one or more of these five compounds. They have also turned up in herbal incense products, often sold on the internet. The fear is that those purchasing such items will think they are getting a "safe buzz." Others may be using such products for medicinal purposes without realizing that they are being exposed to potentially dangerous compounds. In some cases, users turn to synthetic cannabinoids thinking it will not show up in drug testing, but such compounds often yield a positive result.

Health departments in several states have already issued warnings about a number of cannabinoids. In concentrated amounts these compounds, including the five now banned, can cause health issues such as anxiety, rapid heart rate and tremors, seizures, elevated blood pressure and hallucinations. In extreme cases those exposed to some cannabinoids may experience paranoid behavior and become non-responsive. At this point the DEA asserts that any medical benefit of some cannabinoids is not worth the risk due to the potential for abuse.

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