Concerns about spread of designer drug JWH
Several young people hospitalised after taking powerful “synthetic cannabis”
A number of young people in Porvoo have been hospitalised after taking the synthetic drug JWH-018, which has not yet been classified as an illegal substance in Finland.
Dubbed “Jehovah” by users, JWH is an analgesic chemical which acts as a full agonist at cannabinoid receptors, and produces effects similar to the natural cannabinoid THC.
The substance has been available on the street in Helsinki. Juha Loikas, executive director of the anti-drug organisation Stop Huumeille says that cannabis users generally do not like to use JWH because it is too strong. “It is something for young experimenters and users of hard drugs.”
The people who were hospitalised after using JWH had suffered from hallucinations, and were often non-responsive to outside contact.
Loikkaa says that the substance has been easily available on the internet, as well as in Estonia. It is often mixed with tobacco and smoked, but regulating the dosage is difficult, which means that overdoses can easily occur.
Although the drug itself is not technically illegal, police are investigating its sale to minors as possible aggravated assault.