Teens Using Synthetic Fake Weed Linked to Violence, Drug Abuse, Psychosis

Marijuana is bad for teens, even if it's fake weed. A new research reveals that teens using synthetic weed are prone to crazy side effects including violence, drug abuse and risky sex.

According to Chicago Tribune, "Fake weed" is a mix of chemicals that is packaged to be synthethic cannabinoids. The use of synthethic weed has been gaining popularity among teens.

Common side effects of using fake weed include rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting and hallucinations. Its most severe effects include seizures, permanent cardiovascular damage, psychosis and even stroke. 

Not is it only detrimental to one's health, using fake weed is also linked to the rise in cases of violence, drug abuse and risky sexual behavior across the country.

This is courtesy of new research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC's statistics said young people who use fake weed may be more likely to engage in high-risk sex, behave violently, and resort to alcoholism.

However, according to CNN, it's important to first understand just what goes on inside the "fake weed scene." Heather Clayton, the head of the study, used the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey to help readers acclimate to the new statistics.

She said a total of 15,624 students in grades nine through 12 answered the anonymous questionnaire with details of their behavior on substance use, injury, violence, mental and sexual health.

Clayton said that nearly one in 10 high school students have actually used synthetic marijuana. Of these students, nearly a third said they have actually tried actual marijuuna. 23 percent of them said they also tried fake weed.

Clayton and her team realized that these students who use synthetic cannabinoids always were also those who are more likely to perform risky sexual acts versus those who just simply "tried" marijuana.

Violence also seemed to be a common behavior among students who were using fake weed, as a third of these students already carried a weapon. More than half of fake weed users in their statistics have also been in brawls, been drinking or are active weed users.

Unfortunately, these are not all the behaviors associated with using fake weed.

A new study from the University of Maryland assessed nearly a thousand students from Texas and surveyed that students who used fake weed were prone to symptoms of depression and alcohol use. However, these are more present in students who were already using marijuana prior to their usage of fake marijuana.