Researchers Find Spice Gold to be Very Addictive

Spice Gold is a designed drug that has been used by some as a complement to or substitution for marijuana. Now, a clinical report from Dresden offers study justification for the assumption that the drug is strongly addictive.

Science Daily issued a report examining a current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. Ulrich S. Zimmerman from the Dresden Technical University and his colleagues describe a young man who developed physical withdrawal symptoms after the regular consumption of Spice Gold. These symptoms were also accompanied by a dependence syndrome.

In Germany, Spice Gold has been subject to the German Narcotics Law which forbids the production, free trade and possession of the drug, but initially only for one year. This stipulation has been in effect since January 22, 2009, but is expected to be a permanent regulation by the end of the year.

The featured subject in the study came to the hospital after consuming Spice Gold daily for eight months. He experienced continuous cravings for the drugs and continued to consume the drug, though it caused cognitive impairment. As a result, the individual neglected his duties at work and was threatened with unemployment.

This individual also faced forced abstinence due to a bottleneck in supplies. This abstinence triggered typical withdrawal symptoms, including internal unrest, tremor, palpitations, headache, nausea, vomiting, depression and desperation. All symptoms abruptly disappeared when Spice Gold was once again consumed. When the drug was withdrawn in the hospital, the patient suffered similar symptoms.

The authors interpret these symptoms as an indication of a typical withdrawal disease, most likely due to the admixture of synthetic cannabinomimetics.