A thematic analysis of synthetic cannabinoid users experiences revealed intense addiction patterns distinct from natural cannabis, with users describing the experience in extreme terms.
Addiction counselors, emergency medicine staff, drug policy researchers, and people considering synthetic cannabinoid use.
Qualitatively differentSynthetic cannabinoid addiction described as profoundly more severe and compulsive than natural cannabis dependence
What the researchers found
Thematic analysis revealed that synthetic cannabinoid addiction was experienced as qualitatively different from and more severe than natural cannabis dependence, with themes of intense compulsion, loss of control, and physical dependence that users described in extreme language.
Why it matters
Synthetic cannabinoids are often used as cannabis substitutes but produce far more dangerous addiction patterns. Understanding the lived experience of SC addiction can inform treatment and public education.
The numbers in context
Synthetic cannabinoids are the most common type of new psychoactive substances, used predominantly as a replacement for cannabis.
How the study worked
Qualitative thematic analysis of interviews with people who have experienced addiction to synthetic cannabinoids.
Who was studied
People who have experienced addiction to synthetic cannabinoids.
What this study cannot tell us
Qualitative design cannot quantify prevalence; self-selected participants may represent more severe cases; retrospective accounts may be affected by recall bias.
How to read the evidence
Qualitative thematic analysis provides rich experiential data; cannot establish prevalence or generalize to all SC users.
When this study was published
Recent qualitative study on an ongoing public health concern.
The bigger picture
The stark contrast between synthetic cannabinoid addiction and natural cannabis use challenges the assumption that these products are interchangeable, with major implications for drug policy, harm reduction, and emergency medicine.
Replication
Adds to growing qualitative literature on synthetic cannabinoid experiences; consistent with clinical observations of SC severity.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- What makes synthetic cannabinoid addiction so much more intense?
- How effective are current treatments for SC addiction?
- Can harm reduction messaging distinguish synthetic from natural cannabinoids?
Read the original research
"Spice Was Made, by the Devil Himself": A Thematic Analysis of the Experience of an Addiction to Synthetic Cannabinoids.
Journal of psychoactive drugs, 55(3), 321-329
Citation
Marandure, Blessing N; Mhizha, Samson; Wilson, Amanda. (2023). "Spice Was Made, by the Devil Himself": A Thematic Analysis of the Experience of an Addiction to Synthetic Cannabinoids.. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 55(3), 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2022.2083534