Like many cities in Texas, Austin is an easy place to find methamphetamines. That is because of the easy access Mexican drug cartels and smugglers have to the South. While meth and heroin may have the largest quantities from across the border, there is another drug threatening the residents of Austin that is locally known as K2 and sometimes known as Spice or synthetic marijuana.
What Is Synthetic Marijuana?
Synthetic marijuana, also called K2, is a drug that is not as widely known but has quite a large number of users. The news cycle mainly focuses on the dangers of opioids and methamphetamines, while K2 is causing hundreds and thousands to drop where they’re standing.
In Austin, Texas, K2 is like tobacco or some other kind of legal plant matter sprayed with a synthetic cannabinoid. The end product looks like marijuana, but its effects are different. The chemicals used in the K2 drug can produce various adverse effects in users, sending them to the emergency room, but not due to overdose. Apparently, it is just the body’s natural reaction to K2. The drug appeals to most users because of how cheap it is to buy and that it does not show up on a regular drug test.
The K2 Epidemic in Austin, Texas
In 2010, the drug was banned in Texas, and it seemed like it was subsiding, but in April 2017, the worst escalation of incidents in two years was experienced with 457 K2-related cases. During major events, like South by Southwest, the local law enforcement can’t keep tabs on everything.
Witnesses to the outcomes of K2 have seen users fall into unresponsive states, making them stand rigid or fall without any warning. More aggressive symptoms, like seizures, high blood pressure, and many more are also common. There is a pattern of reports of K2 use that has been noted since 2014. These, however, are only the cases that resulted in a call or trip to the emergency room.
Cases of K2 in Austin, Texas
Austin is facing a resource crisis, as people who are using K2 are putting a strain on the hospitals and ERs. Users have been reported to have little regard for their safety and the safety of others. Users of K2, exiting an emergency room they were just treated in, have been spotted using the drug again immediately after they suffered a bad reaction and readmitted as soon as they suffer another attack. This expresses the need for treatment in Austin, Texas drug rehabs.
Addiction to K2 and Synthetic Cannabinoids
While the numbers, compared to the number of people addicted to meth and heroin, are significantly small, there has been a noticeable rise in the number of people admitted to drug rehabs in Austin, Texas for addiction to “other Synthetic Cannabinoids.” Six hundred ninety-eight people were admitted in 2016, as opposed to 457 reported two years earlier.
Given the recent outbreak of Synthetic Cannabinoid addiction, withdrawal symptoms of K2 have not been identified. Specialized treatments are not well established yet either.
Finding Treatment in Austin
Finding the right treatment drug rehab center in Austin, Texas for an affected person can be helpful and feel less extreme. You can have the benefit of still maintaining a semi-regular life, and your friends and family can easily take part in your recovery. However, a change in the environment can be a powerful tool in getting clean, especially if you are scared of the temptation. If you are not sure what to do, try contacting a treatment provider today. They are free to speak with and are dedicated to helping you figure out your next steps.
