Spice, also known as synthetic marijuana, is a scientifically engineered form of the chemical THC, the psychoactive substance found in marijuana. While the specifics about how spice came to be are unimportant when discussing spice addiction, there is much controversy about the substance itself. Chemical engineers are able to create variations of the compound faster than the legislature can make it illegal. This poses a massive problem to users and those with a proclivity for addictive behaviors because they never know how the new variation of the substance will affect their nervous system. It is a terrifying time for our society.
Spice is available at smoke shops, gas stations and other retail institutions without any regulation or prescription required. Unlike marijuana, which is naturally occurring, spice is completely synthetic and legal. Imagine a word where alcohol was unregulated, sold to anyone over the age of 18, and without government oversight identifying harmful additives or other ingredients. The result would be disastrous. Spice is completely unregulated, legal, and can be very harmful. Since no one variation of the chemical compound stays in existence for very long, there are no studies regarding long term use or exposure. Medical professionals are unable to come up with proper methods to safely guarantee the withdrawal from the drug thus causing many emergency room visits with patients in various states of crisis and no solution.
Spice addiction is very serious and needs to be treated with the same care and oversight as addiction to any other substance. The inability to stop using spice, coupled with an obsession about the drug itself and its consumption are the markers of spice addiction. There are a number of treatment programs that specialize in spice addiction treatment. Most of these rehabs would employ a variety of therapeutic techniques that aid in the recovery process including; individual therapy sessions, group therapy sessions, exercise programs, twelve step integration and many more. It is of paramount importance that someone suffering from spice addiction receives treatment.
Our society spends so much time and so many resources dedicated to investigating what it is that we put in our bodies, and while not all of us make healthy choices all the time, most of us have a pretty good idea of what we ingest. Whether it is sugar, caffeine, nicotine, or even gluten, we have a general idea of the consequences of our actions. With spice, and spice addiction specifically, users are putting into their systems synthesized chemical compounds that change from use to use. This is incredibly dangerous and scary and should be treated with extreme prejudice. Spice addiction is not something to fool around with and if you or someone you know is struggling, please seek help immediately.
