What are synthetic
cannabinoids?
Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds
that mimic the effect of THC, the principle active ingredient of cannabis. Like
THC, they bind to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and were initially
developed as therapeutic agents for the treatment of pain. However, these
psychoactive research chemicals are frequently being sprayed on herbal mixtures
and sold as “fake weed” or “synthetic marijuana.” JWH-018 and JWH-073 are the
two most common synthetic cannabinoid chemicals found in a variety of herbal
smoking blends. Others like JWH-250, JWH-081 and CP47, 497 have also started
appearing in some products and preparations.
How are synthetic cannabinoids being used?
Legal in most states, JWH-018 and JWH-073 are
the two most popular synthetic cannabinoids used today. Reportedly offering a
high 4 times stronger than marijuana, JWH-018 and JWH-073 are commonly
associated with herbal smoke and incense products sold under names like K2,
Spice, Serenity and others.
Synthetic cannabinoid chemicals are often laced
in the herbal smoking products that are readily available via the Internet and
in many “head-shops” around the country. Users looking for a “legal high” often
turn to these herbal smoking or incense products because they do not show up on
a standard urine drug test.
Users smoke the product by wrapping joints,
smoking it in pipes, or inhaling fumes via vaporizers. Users also report that
herbal blends or pure chemical concoctions can be ingested with an infusion or
solvent process; purportedly allowing them to manage the potency and dose of the
active ingredient(s).
What are the effects of using synthetic
cannabinoids like JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-250 and others?
JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-250 and other similar
chemicals are the primary synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists responsible
for the euphoric and psychoactive effects that imitate marijuana and are among
the numerous compounds found in herbal incense and smoke blends. These
synthetic cannabinoids do not contain cannabis but produce effects reported up
to 4 times the strength of THC/marijuana. Users indicate the high comes on slow
at first, then with surprising potency. There have been many reports about the
adverse effects including agitation, rapid heart rate, confusion, dizziness and
nausea. In fact, the American Association of Poison Control Centers issued a
warning about the dangers of synthetic marijuana products in March 2010.
Long-term effects from these research chemicals are unknown.
What herbal incense brand names
are being used?
Users looking for a “legal high”
often turn to popular herbal smoking products marketed under brand names such as
K2, K3, Spice, Genie, Smoke, Pot-pourri, Buzz, Pulse, Hush, Mystery, Earthquake,
Ocean Blue, Stinger, Serenity and many others. OUR LAB maintains a composition
and concentration list for different products, brands and preparations.
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) does not regulate the products, but maintains they are not approved for
human consumption. Without proper ingredient labeling or measured potency,
users increase the risk of overdosing. To complicate labeling and dose concerns,
some reports indicate many popular brands are now counterfeit
or fake brands.
What is the legal status of these
chemicals?
While legal under federal law,
products containing JWH-018 and JWH-073 are banned in several states and by the
U.S. armed forces. At present, JWH-250 is illegal in only one state. Legal
restrictions on these compounds are likely to be imposed nationwide.
Additionally, they are banned by a number of European countries, including
Britain, France, Germany, Poland and Russia, as well as South Korea. The Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) labeled them a “drug and chemical of concern”
in 2009.
Why use our Lab to test for
synthetic cannabinoids?
Our Lab is one of the largest,
full-service, independent drug and alcohol testing laboratories in the United
States.
Our LAB utilizes state-of-the-art
screening and confirmation methodologies for urine and oral fluid drug testing
and is trusted by over 7,000 customers. These customers rely on the our Lab
promise that “We’ll find out.”
Advantages of using our Lab services
include:
• First lab in the world to offer
synthetic cannabinoid urine metabolite test; to our knowledge, first to provide
saliva testing too
• Extensive experience in performing
forensic toxicology analysis for alcohol and drugs of abuse
• Highly qualified and credentialed
scientific staff
• Tests performed on
state-of-the-art instrumentation
• Excellent client services and
support
• Quality assurance and quality
control procedures ensure accurate results
How will my agency benefit from choosing the
our Lab Synthetic Cannabinoid Test?
Key benefits include:
• First lab to offer synthetic cannabinoid oral
fluid parent drug test and urine metabolite test • Ideal for a number of
criminal situations including drug courts, probation and parole
• Well-suited for addiction admittance,
treatment and monitoring
• Limits teen drug abuse, workplace liability
and employee costs Urine test features include:
• Urine test identifies synthetic cannabinoids
(JWH-018 and JWH-073) and their metabolites
• Precise urine metabolite detection,
significantly more reliable than only testing for parent-drug in human urine
• Presence of metabolites confirms ingestion;
window of detection up to 72 hours (depending on usage/dosage)
Oral fluid test features include:
• Accurately identifies the parent drugs
JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-250 in human oral fluid/saliva
• Includes OUR LAB-Oral collection device with
saliva volume indicator—for sufficient volume collection every time; simple
process, limits exposure to sample and protects against adulteration
• Presence of parent drug in saliva confirms
ingestion; detection window up to 24-48 hours
Why are JWH-018 and JWH-073 tested by OUR
LAB?
OUR LAB laboratory analysis confirmed JWH-018
and JWH-073 as the primary active ingredients in 37 herbal smoking mixtures, and
established test methods to identify the presence of their metabolites in urine.
How long can JWH-018 and JWH-073 be detected
in urine?
The presence of metabolites in urine confirms
ingestion of JWH-018 and JWH-073. JWH-018 and JWH-073 metabolites can be
detected in urine up to 72 hours (depending on usage/dosage).
How long can JWH-018, JWH-073 and JWH-250 be
detected in oral fluid?
Drugs in oral fluid can be detected from minutes
up to 24-48 hours after ingestion.
How is JWH-018 and JWH-073 metabolized in
urine?
Both JWH-018 and JWH-073 metabolize extensively
in humans via oxidation and glucuronide conjugation. Depending on dosage, the
hydroxylated JWH-018 and JWH-073 and the carboxylated JWH-018 metabolites can be
detected up to 72 hours in urine. Parent drug excreted in human urine has not
been reported.
What are the cut-off levels?
There are no cut-off levels for OUR LAB’s Urine
Synthetic Cannabinoid Test. Toxicology result reporting for JWH-018 and JWH-073
will indicate either “Detected” or “Not Detected.” The cut-off level for the
oral fluid test is 0.5 ng/mL for JWH-018, JWH-073 and JWH-250.
Will a standard drug test detect synthetic
cannabinoids?
Conventional drug test panels will not detect
the broad range of synthetic cannabinoids. They pass undetected in standard
urine or oral fluid testing for such drugs as cocaine, marijuana, heroin and
amphetamines. Our Lab’s Urine or Oral Fluid Synthetic Cannabinoid Test can be
ordered with your standard panel to ensure detection.
How accurate and reliable is the our LAB
Urine Synthetic Cannabinoid Test?
Our Lab’s test will utilize the most
sophisticated, sensitive and specific equipment and technology available,
LC/MS/MS (liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry) to confirm
JWH-018 and JWH-073 urine metabolites.
To reduce false-negative results, the detection
method relies on monitoring multiple metabolites for each of the compounds.
Other labs that only look for the parent drug in urine will report many false
negative results. Our Lab’s test methodology provides the most definitive
synthetic cannabinoid biomarker test results.
How accurate and reliable is the our LAB Oral
Fluid Synthetic Cannabinoid Test?
Our Lab’s test utilizes the most sophisticated,
sensitive and specific equipment and technology available, LC/MS/MS (liquid
chromatography/ mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry) to confirm JWH-018, JWH-073
and JWH-250 in oral fluid.
Other Spice
Drug Information
There’s a drug popular with teens in the U.S.
that many parents may never have heard of, but worst of all – it is legal (in
most states). This drug, called “Spice” or “K2” is said to give the user a
marijuana-like high. Sold in shops and online as incense, it is being smoked as
a legal alternative to marijuana. But this drug appears to have far more
dangerous side-effects and without the necessary regulation, consumers have no
idea what they’re really getting.
Spice originally appeared on the scene in the
late 1990s, but didn’t really become popular until 2008. As the drug gained
popularity in Europe, scientists began conducting research into the composition
of this drug and any potential effects on the body. As a result of these
investigations, many countries subsequently banned Spice including Germany,
France, Chile, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, and
the U.K. The United States currently has no such ban on the drug, likely due to
the fact that it has only recently become popular in the U.S.
German researchers were able to determine that
Spice contained a variety of synthetic cannabinoids, which are chemical
compounds devised to produce marijuana-like effects. There was a high quantity
of other synthetic chemicals found as well, indicating that a user really has no
way of knowing what they are being exposed to. Worse yet, Spice appears to have
many negative side effects that marijuana does not such as anxiety attacks,
hallucinations, nausea, and a chemical dependency. Three teenagers in Roswell,
GA were recently hospitalized after using Spice. One teen had a severe reaction
to the drug, resulting in swelling of the brain.
Currently the only way to test for the use of
Spice is by lab drug testing. Theoretically, children under the age of 18 cannot
buy the drug, as head shops and online stores are not supposed to sell to
minors. As this drug is still legal in the U.S., many people may be led to
believe that it is a safe alternative to marijuana. This could not be further
from the truth. Parents, teachers, and lawmakers need to be made aware that this
drug is out there and that it has the potential to harm the lives of our
children.
