But this stuff is unlike anything I've ever done before. Not necessarily “better”, just different. It's intense. Really intense. (Well, depending on how much you smoke.) There's a “body buzz” kind of like smoking pot but again, its different in it's own way. One of the reasons I enjoy and promote the use of cannabis is because I like the way it makes me think, and it usually does cure what ails you. Perhaps I solve a problem that's been plaguing me, perhaps I pick up and finish the Sunday crossword and finish it in half an hour. It's like THC enables me to activate other parts of my brain normally unaccessed, enabling better, clearer and deeper thought. I've had some of the most amazingly insightful conversations with people after sitting around and sharing a a few tokes.
But, K2 is different. (And now time for some technical talk.) K2 is actually a blend of herbs (I've tasted both damiana and mugwort in the blends but I'm sure there are many other plants that produce non-toxic smokable material.) that is sprayed with a derivative of the original JWH-018. JWH-018 or AM-678 has been made illegal, but the chemical has thousands of different possible analogues, making it practically unstoppable. JWH-018 is an analgesic chemical from the naphthoylindole family, and was created by John W. Huffman, an organic chemist at Clemson University who senthesized analogues and metabolites of THC. JWH-018 is one of these analogues, with studies showing an affinity for the CB1 receptor 5 times greater than that of THC. It acts as a full agonist at both the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors, with some selectivity for CB2.
And now for the bad stuff. JWH-018 is a full agonist to the CB1 receptor. Basically, what this means, is that JWH-018's effects are similar to that of THC, but are much, much more intense at onset but (sometimes thankfully) fade away in about half an hour. JWH-018 and its analogues inhibit GABA neurotransmission in the brain very effectively, and has been assumed to cause seizures and convulsions in first-timers smoking far too much. It may also cause intense anxiety and agitation. Use to excess can present serious dangers and produce psychological side-effects requiring professional help. One study reported psychotic relapses and anxiety symptoms in well-treated patients with mental illness after JWH-018 consumption. It is recommended that people with risk factors for psychotic illnesses not use JWH-018.
K2 is sold as “incense” and “not for human consumption”. (Which is why there isn't really any information about its use as a smoking material.) But any fool can tell from the first whiff of the smoke that this is no Nag Champa or Strawberry Fields. In my experience, it is something you want to regard with a good deal of respect. Yes, it does work. Very, very well. But, as I said before, it was hit-or-miss with quality. I don't have that problem anymore, as I found a reliable place to procure after a bit of here and there and always having to try different brands, as most stores only bought a few packets and usually had something completely different in stock on my next visit. At first, it was quite difficult to find, as Google searches were fruitless. Finally someone noticed it in a store and clued me in, so I got my first two samples. One was a $17.50 black packet called “Ice”, spelled out in wispy blue letters on the front. The other was a white, green and silver packet called “Fusion”. It kind of reminded me of the Xbox 360's marketing materials. We tried “Fusion” first, and found it to take only two tokes to be effective. Very intense high. I remember realizing how altered I was, and looking at my compatriots and thinking, “I am really fucked up. They don't look that fucked up! Is it just me? Do I look fucked up? Am I acting fucked up? They're just talking away like nothing is going on!” Ah, and so insets the anxiety. So I chose to mention, “Dudes, I'm really fucked up.” They just kind of looked at me, and I thought, “Great. I am acting fucked up.” So I watched whatever was on TV, and trying to keep a hold on the situation. I eventually had to get up and walk around, doing mental exercises as I paced to occupy my brain. When we tried “Ice”, we found that no amount of toking produced a result. Dud bag.
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