Fentanyl Laced Weed: The Dangers of Laced Marijuana

When you hear someone talking about a substance being “laced”, it means that any particular drug has been combined with another, the purpose of that being mainly to increase the effects it has on the body when consumed.

Alarmingly, substance users are facing horrific consequences of consuming laced drugs, when the majority of these users don’t know that what they think they are taking is contaminated, and therefore, can lead to potential overdose or even fatality.

Fentanyl is the culprit of most “laced” drugs, mainly heroin, but in present climes, the illicit sales of fentanyl-laced weed (marijuana) are rapidly increasing to extortionate levels, causing growing concern worldwide to tackle and overcome this unscrupulous manipulation and contamination of substances targeted on vulnerable people.

This article looks at the real-life epidemic of fentanyl-laced drugs occurring on our streets today and the devastating consequences that most victims have to face.

What Does “Laced” Mean Exactly?

As previously mentioned, the terminology “laced” describes adding one substance to another generally to make a substance stronger in its effects. These substances are commonly synthetic and mass-produced by illicit manufacturers. 

Because these substances are synthetic and cheaper to produce, they are then sold illegally by dealers who can make substantial profits by adding them to other substances so they can stretch their inventory.

As most dealings take place on the street, there is no control over the quantities or type of substances that are mixed and this puts innocent users at great risk as they are completely unaware of the content.

Other sayings for this process are known as “mixing” and “cutting”, but these terminologies are generally referred to as adding another substance either to increase the volume or to increase the effect.

With “lacing” however, it is common practice to use the word to describe a substance combined with another just for the increased effects it provides.

In our society today, perhaps the most common drug used for lacing is fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid mainly prescribed for pain relief but also illegally produced to sell in quantity and used for fentanyl-laced drugs. 

What Drugs Are Typically Laced With Fentanyl?

Cases of fentanyl mixed with cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines have been reported and the dangers revealed surrounding this substance, especially when attempting to quit the addiction, as fentanyl withdrawal can cause serious damage and can even result in fatality.

That said, the drug epidemic is increasing at a tremendous rate and dealers are exploring every avenue to increase their profits and are now targeting milder drugs they can lace with fentanyl, such as marijuana. When smoked together, weed and fentanyl can cause life-threatening consequences.

What Happens If You Smoke Marijuana Laced With Fentanyl?

Smoking a combination of marijuana and fentanyl is extremely dangerous as the effects of each substance clash with each other. Fentanyl is used as a depressant, so it produces feelings of relaxation.

On the contrary, marijuana can have depressant, stimulant, or hallucinogenic effects and will amplify whatever frame of mind you are already in, meaning if you feel relaxed as a result of the effects of fentanyl, weed will make that feeling more intense.

If fentanyl and weed are smoked together, the dangers are highly increased as fentanyl will slow down the central nervous system, and marijuana can slow down both the body and mind.

It is known that marijuana may cause hallucinations and psychotic states when taken in high doses. Still, when fentanyl comes into the equation, these psychological swings are difficult to keep track of.

Memory failure of events is common, often with no recollection at all and doubts as to whether or not the events were real in the first place. The whole imbalance of the mind can cause people to take risks without thinking, and this can lead to accidents, injury, or fatal consequences.

What Are The Effects Of Smoking Fentanyl-Laced Weed?

Smoking fentanyl-laced marijuana is described as polysubstance use, which means you have two or more different substances in your system at the same time regardless of whether it is intentionally smoked in this way or you are just not aware.

In either case, when these two substances are combined, you feel the effects of both drugs faster and there is more risk of overdose.

Taking into account that fentanyl is a form of depressant to help alleviate pain and make you feel relaxed, it also slows the body down but when mixed with weed, primarily another depressant, there is almost a double effect on the system, to the point breathing and heart rate become so slow, it can reach a concerning and dangerous level by having too much of the substance in the system at the same time.

The biggest danger, however, is not knowing if fentanyl has been mixed in the first place or simply being ignorant of this criminal practice that dealers are doing today: selling marijuana laced with fentanyl to fill their pockets without any remorse for the damage they are causing to vulnerable people.

At present, there are no official statistics that indicate the figures for fatalities associated with the use of marijuana laced with fentanyl, although there is documented evidence that some users who had been treated for an opioid overdose had no idea they had ingested any type of opioid in the first place. As fentanyl is such a powerful drug, being unaware of its presence increasingly poses a threat to experiencing an overdose.

Buying marijuana on the streets today is risky as there is virtually no way of knowing it could be laced with fentanyl, and sadly, it is likely to occur as illicit dealers expand their market by targeting users of milder street drugs, knowing exactly how to contaminate this habitual substance so they can widen their profits. This is the reality of what’s happening on our streets, both at home and abroad.

The question remains: How can you tell if weed is contaminated?

How To Spot Marijuana Contaminated With Fentanyl

Marijuana is a drug that has become legalized in many parts of the US with many habitual users. This substance remains to be responsible for mind-altering effects and has its risk of abuse and addiction.

As we have mentioned, the crisis happening today derives from the illicit mixing of other substances, such as fentanyl, with milder drugs like marijuana, making it virtually impossible to know if it has been contaminated. The presence of laced marijuana is much more likely when purchased illegally.

Fentanyl is a synthetic substance and lacks color, taste, and smell, making it extremely difficult to tell if marijuana has been laced. Some say there may be a slight difference in the shade of color, but this theory should be dismissed entirely due to the effects of natural and artificial light and should not be considered accurate.

The only positive way to know if there is any presence of fentanyl is the use of fentanyl test strips. These test strips can detect fentanyl when the other substance is placed in water. In most states in the US, these strips are 100% legal to process, but there are several states where it is still illegal and pending legalization.

Where To Find Help For Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana Addiction

We have looked at how marijuana can become laced with fentanyl and the effects of smoking it, but what happens when someone overdoses on it unintentionally?

Because fentanyl is such a powerful drug, up to 100 times more than morphine, it only takes a very small amount for its strength to take effect. When mixed with another substance, in this case, marijuana, the effect increases significantly.

Used mainly for pain relief, these substances will have an impact on the central nervous system and can considerably reduce both breathing and heartbeat to potentially dangerous levels.

Often, the effects of these drugs are short-lived, making the user consume more over shorter periods, which tends to lead to overdosing to reach the desired effects they long for. An overdose of fentanyl can have fatal consequences, so when this substance is laced with marijuana, the impact can be devastating.

At Resilient Recovery, located in Lancaster, California, we take any addiction seriously, and our objective is to assist in whatever way we can to resolve this problem because we understand we are facing an epidemic of substance abuse and need to do something about it.

If you or a loved one is seeking advice or needs help, we are only a phone call away, and we can offer you guidance and discuss treatments that we provide to overcome addiction and get you back on the road to recovery.

Our professional medical team fully understands the challenges and hardships as some of our members are recovering addicts themselves and are ready to answer any questions you may have and reassure you that problems can be resolved successfully.

We specialize in resolving addiction, such as fentanyl addiction, and provide superb facilities, such as detox and rehab, with medically assisted withdrawal treatment to ensure our patients receive the best care and support they deserve.

Don’t leave it until it’s too late; pick up the phone now and let us help you with your concerns. It could make all the difference.