Abstract

The active ingredient in synthetic cannabinoids is a lab-produced liquid that's sprayed over dried plant matter to provide a natural appearance and aesthetic similar to that of natural marijuana.5 The plant matter itself can potentially be poisonous or hallucinogenic, creating an enhanced or more dangerous product.1 Often packaged into small, attractive colored bags, the product is sold in drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores, gas stations, bodegas (small corner grocery stores), and through the Internet.4 Based on the latest data from the CDC, inhalation by smoking is the most common means of consumption (about 80%), followed by ingestion (20%) by eating or drinking the product in the form of a cookie or brewed as tea.6 Rectal absorption has been reported in the literature as well.