Fears of 'devastation to the psyche' as seizures of synthetic cannabinoids rocket 

An addiction counsellor has warned of the 'devastating' impact synthetic cannabinoids can have on users. Picture: Pexels

Seizures of synthetic cannabinoids have rocketed in the space of just two years, according to statistics released by Revenue, as an addiction counsellor warned of 'devastation to the psyche' among users.

In 2018, there were just two detections of the drugs, with a combined weight of 33g, valued at €676.

By 2019, 1,027g worth of the drugs, worth €17,716, were seized, and by 2020, Revenue officials had seized 3,146g, worth €51,298, in 125 different detections.

Senior counsellor Michael Guerin, who works at Cuan Mhuire treatment centre, said they have seen an increase in people presenting with addictions to synthetic cannabinoids such as Spice.

Profound effects

“The hallmark of Spice abuse is devastation to the psyche of the individual. It has quite profound effects on the person at the time that they take it, but also, no one really knows what the long-term effects of spice use are. It is uncharted waters,” said Mr Guerin.

However, he said some of the after-effects they have recorded include depression, paranoia, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

“You will regularly meet clients saying that they tried Spice as part of this overarching polysubstance matrix. They tried it once, and they never went back to it, because they found it had such a bad effect on them. That isn’t something we usually see with drugs,” he added.

Synthetic cannabinoids are chemicals that mimic the effects of THC but should not be confused with cannabis, the HSE had warned. There are many forms of synthetic cannabinoids, with Spice or K2 being the most commonly known.

Psychosis

International evidence has shown that use of synthetic cannabinoids can lead to psychosis, seizures or even death in some cases. 

One of the biggest concerns surrounding the substance is the potential for it to be passed off as cannabis, with regular cannabis users trying synthetic cannabinoids unwittingly, and unaware of the risks.

One individual, who was heavily addicted to synthetic cannabinoids, said the cheap cost of the drug is an alluring factor for many. 

“I was smoking weed for 15 or 16 years. The main reason I swapped to Spice is it is a fair deal cheaper. The effects, they're quite different. You’d be out of your head on this stuff. If you can't get it, the depression you fall into is sickening. I was suicidal myself,” he said.

The former user said a bag of the drug can sell for as little as €10 and claimed that North Dublin, in particular, is flooded with it.