Drug related discussion

How has the explosion of synthetic drug use, particularly synthetic marijuana, resulted in ranking synthetic
marijuana as the second most widely class of illicit drug after marijuana? And, why is addiction to synthetic
drugs like K2, spice, bath salts, etc., higher among undergraduate students who largely identify with the
lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender community? And what are the particular challenges in treating individuals
addicted to synthetic drugs? For this journal task, you’ll reflect on these questions as you learn about synthetic
drug use and treatments.
Prompt:
In the introduction to the NPR podcast Synthetic Reefer Madness included among this week’s resources, the
author states:
The business of getting people high used to require fields of poppies or marijuana, and the farmers to farm
them. Over the last two decades, a new generation of potent synthetic drugs has revolutionized the illicit drug
trade. These drugs are cheap, easy to make in factories, and difficult to regulate. Now, it's possible to become
a kingpin with little more than an internet connection and an email address for a chemical plant in China.
Review this session’s resources on synthetic drugs and in a two- to three-paragraph journal entry to your
instructor, address the following:
What is your response to the statement above?
How are the effects of synthetic drugs like spice and K-2 similar to and/or different from the effects of
marijuana?
In what ways are illicit synthetic drugs more dangerous than non-synthetic illicit drugs?
What do you feel is the most effective treatment/s for those hooked on synthetic drugs—and how does this
treatment/s differ from non-synthetic illicit drugs?
Refer to the session resources, including the podcast, other course resources, and your own research to
support your responses. Be sure to submit this journal by the evening before the live session.
Link：https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/12/19/678387515/episode-882-synthetic-reefer-madness