Fake pot banned in Arkansas | Health

The Arkansas Board of Health issued a ruling recently permanently banning the sale of synthetic marijuana in the state.

Doctors say while the drugs have no medical value, they do pose serious health risks. The board says there is evidence that using phony pot can cause “a rapid heart rate, dangerously high blood pressure and sometimes hallucinations or paranoia.”

Experts say the drug is often sold under the brand name “K-2.” They say it is primarily made in China by spraying a chemical on dried plants.

Until recently, no drug test could detect these chemicals, but the Arkansas Department of Health says that may be changing soon.

“We have found a way to test urine samples from individuals who have used the substance that will indicate whether K-2 has been used by someone or not,” Joe Bates, MD, deputy state health officer and chief science officer at the ADH, said in a written release.

Photo courtesy Flickr user strawberry :*.