# Spice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216 "2010-02-24T02:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/1 "2010-02-24T02:32:09Z")
I just heard on the news how there is something called “spice” and it is legal and can be purchased in smoke shops (18 and over) It is supposed to be similar to marijuana. Has anyone tried this stuff? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/2 "2010-02-24T02:35:12Z")
Haven’t tried it, but if it’s anything like any of the other herbal “substitutes,” it’s total BS. You may as well smoke oregano, or pencil shavings. If it got you high, it wouldn’t be legal. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/3 "2010-02-24T02:45:34Z")
I’ve tried it. I picked some up the last time I was on Arrakis. It’s sometimes called “melange.” It smells like bitter cinnamon: > **[Melange (fictional drug)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melange_(fictional_drug))** > > Melange (/meɪˈlɑːnʒ/), often referred to as "the spice", is the fictional psychedelic drug central to the Dune series of science fiction novels by Frank Herbert and derivative works. > In the series, the most essential and valuable commodity in the universe is melange, a drug that gives the user a longer life span, greater vitality, and heightened awareness. In some humans, the spice can also unlock prescience, a form of precognition based in genetics but made possible by use of the drug in larger... ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/4 "2010-02-24T02:47:54Z")
Could you be thinking of Salvia (Divinorum (sp?))? It’s legal, it kinda looks like marijuana but the high is very different. The high from Salvia is closer to acid or DXM, but more intense and only lasts a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/5 "2010-02-24T03:00:19Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Could you be thinking of Salvia (Divinorum (sp?))? It’s legal, it kinda looks like marijuana but the high is very different. The high from Salvia is closer to acid or DXM, but more intense and only lasts a few minutes. No, I am familiar with salvia and would never try that. An acid trip is the last thing I need. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/6 "2010-02-24T04:37:46Z")
I’ve tried Spice and can say that despite my doubts going in, it did provide a high similar to cannabis. It’s not exactly the same, but I can say that my eyes did get red, I did get cottonmouth, and I felt mentally affected in a similar way to cannabis. Still, it tastes pretty gross and it wasn’t quite the full force of a strong strain of kind bud. As far as legal highs go, this is by far the closest analogue to cannabis that I’ve tried. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/7 "2010-02-24T04:56:53Z")
> [@Apex\_Rogers](#): > > I’ve tried Spice and can say that despite my doubts going in, it did provide a high similar to cannabis. It’s not exactly the same, but I can say that my eyes did get red, I did get cottonmouth, and I felt mentally affected in a similar way to cannabis. Still, it tastes pretty gross and it wasn’t quite the full force of a strong strain of kind bud. > > As far as legal highs go, this is by far the closest analogue to cannabis that I’ve tried. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![Seamack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Seamack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seamack)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/8 "2010-02-24T13:53:20Z")
I’ve tried all the spice products and they’re are pretty good and analagous to cannabis. However, if you want something truly comparable to a nice hit of grass, try ‘King BBB’ or ‘Pulse’ products. These things don’t taste too nice, but the high is similar in quality and duration to good weed. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/9 "2010-02-24T14:33:58Z")
[Spice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spice_%28drug%29) > [@](#): > > On December 15 2008, it was announced by German pharmaceutical company THCPharm, that [JWH-018](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JWH-018) had been found as one of the active components in at least three versions of the supposedly “herbal” smoking blend, cannabis substitute drug Spice, which had been sold in a number of countries around the world since 2002 as an “incense” or legal substitute for marijuana.[2][3][4][5][6] > > On January 19 2009, it was announced by the University of Freiburg in Germany that the other main active substance in Spice is an undisclosed analogue of the synthetic cannabinoid [CP 47,497](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CP_47,497).[7] On the 22nd January 2009, CP 47,497 along with its dimethylhexyl, dimethyloctyl and dimethylnonyl homologues, were added to the German controlled drug schedules (“Betäubungsmittelgesetz”).[8][9] Different ratios of JWH-018 and CP 47,497 and their analogues had apparently been used in the various different varieties of Spice. > > Another potent synthetic cannabinoid, [HU-210](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HU-210), has been reported to have been found in Spice seized by the US Customs & Border Protection.[10] ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/10 "2010-02-24T14:42:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Haven’t tried it, but if it’s anything like any of the other herbal “substitutes,” it’s total BS. You may as well smoke oregano, or pencil shavings. If it got you high, it wouldn’t be legal. This is quite wrong. There’s hardly a plant which _doesn’t_ get you high if properly used; most of them don’t deliver a very good kick, however. Most mind-bending substances are perfectly legal, if not very desirable. In fact, we may be abou to hit an era of designer brain-bakers, which would be difficult if not impossible to outlaw. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/11 "2010-02-24T14:51:41Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > This is quite wrong. There’s hardly a plant which _doesn’t_ get you high if properly used; most of them don’t deliver a very good kick, however. Most mind-bending substances are perfectly legal, if not very desirable. In fact, we may be abou to hit an era of designer brain-bakers, which would be difficult if not impossible to outlaw. You may be right but it’s beyond the point. The original poster is trying to get a marijuana high without smoking marijuana, which is a futile endeavor. From what I have read and experienced about “Spice” and all other similar products is that they are either total BS, give you a headache or make you sick, or may give you a mild buzz due to the fact that they have actually been laced with THC compounds, in which case the DEA will soon list it as a scheduled drug and you’ll be back on the street scoring dub sacks like you should have been doing in the first place if you wanted to get high. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/12 "2010-02-24T15:57:48Z")
So can I get it in the US? And does it make you test positive for THC on drug tests? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/13 "2010-02-24T15:59:15Z")
> [@Seamack](#): > > I’ve tried all the spice products and they’re are pretty good and analagous to cannabis. However, if you want something truly comparable to a nice hit of grass, try ‘King BBB’ or ‘Pulse’ products. These things don’t taste too nice, but the high is similar in quality and duration to good weed. Well since weed tastes terrible, what have I got to lose? By the way, never heard of either of these. Do they sell them in head shops in the US? ---
**Author:** ![Seamack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Seamack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seamack)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/14 "2010-02-24T16:20:56Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Well since weed tastes terrible, what have I got to lose? > > By the way, never heard of either of these. Do they sell them in head shops in the US? I really couldn’t tell you. I’m Irish. St the moment these products are legal in Ireland but it looks likely that there will be restrictions or prohibitions in place by summer. These products would certaintly contravene the US analogous laws, but are probably available by mail order. ---
**Author:** ![Seamack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Seamack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seamack)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/15 "2010-02-24T16:25:16Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > So can I get it in the US? > > And does it make you test positive for THC on drug tests? Nope they contain synthetic THC type substances ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/16 "2010-02-25T00:33:57Z")
Objection! Calls for conclusions from witnesses. Moved from General Qeustions to IMHO\> **samclem** Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/17 "2010-02-25T00:37:13Z")
You can get it here in Texas as “K2.” Its sort of like the differece between popcorn and schwag, but the other way. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice/530216/18 "2010-02-25T02:01:18Z")
> [@Seamack](#): > > Nope they contain synthetic THC type substances I’m not sure which question you are answering nope to. Yes, it is legal, though there are states considering laws against it. No, you will not test positive for THC with it. It is not a cannabinoid. No drug test will mistake it for THC. It is a compound that acts on the cannabinoid receptors. It will get you high. It is at this point legal. There are many similar compounds. Despite what **smiling bandit** says, as far as I know, this compound is not natural. It looks like a compound that they specifically add to the herbal mixture. Like **smiling bandit** says, I suspect that when this compound becomes restricted, another will take it’s place. Cannabinoid receptor agonists are not exactly rare. We could very well be entering an age of designer drugs that develop too fast for enforcement to keep up with.