Synthetic Weed Is Becoming A Problem In The Netherlands

The Dutch Drug Information Monitoring System detects an alarming number of laced cannabis flower and hash (concentrate) samples. Samples are found to be laced with the dangerous synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA. The Trimbos Institute, a Dutch organization to monitor and educate on drug use, stated that. Samples are coming from coffee shops and street dealers all around the Netherlands.

Is Synthetic Weed Dangerous?

If you regularly consume (large amounts), synthetic cannabinoids can be very dangerous. They are extremely hard to notice by the naked eye. The only way to be sure your cannabis is free from any synthetic cannabinoids is by a lab test.  Just a tiny amount of Dutch coffeeshops test their weed, and street dealers don’t test at all. Officially, testing cannabis is illegal in the Netherlands. This makes it impossible for coffeeshops to test their products, to begin with. A small number of coffee shops do it anyway, even though it’s illegal. But most labs don’t test for synthetic cannabinoids like MDMB-4en-PINACA. But test only on cannabinoid percentages, metals, and toxins.

The synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA is much stronger than natural THC. Even in a small dose, it can induce balance disorders, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and cardiac arrhythmias. A large dose can do serious harm. It can make you pass out or induce irritation, violence, or psychotic behavior. Although there are no fatalities reported yet in the Netherlands linked to MDMB-4en-PINACA. Some other countries do have reported deaths linked to this substance.

How To Find Out If Your Weed Is Laced

Do you think your cannabis is laced? First off, take 1 or 2 small puffs and wait for 10 minutes. See how the weed affects you. If the puff’s effect is equal or close to how you feel after a full joint, it might be laced. Feel sick, or have any side effects that are not normal? Do please contact a medical professional or doctor. Think you got some laced cannabis product in the Netherlands? Have it tested here: test your drugs in the Netherlands.

The most important is to make testing mandatory. Doing this would make it impossible for laced synthetic cannabinoids to reach the cannabis market.

Want to get deeper into laced cannabis and how to recognize it? Check out our article about laced weed and how you can detect it.