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How to Tell if Weed is Laced

Weed or marijuana is generally safe to use in moderation. It is legal for medicinal and recreational use in many states. However, when misused, it is possible to become addicted to cannabis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 3 in 10 people who use marijuana suffer from addiction.[1]

If you are using weed in a state where it is illegal, that means you are buying it off of the street. Unfortunately, some people might lace weed with other drugs to make their product more potent. It can also be contaminated accidentally via cross-contamination, particularly when handling marijuana on the same surface as fentanyl or other drugs.

There are a variety of drugs that can be added to marijuana, each one posing its own set of risks, dangers, and adverse side effects.

While there is little research on the frequency of laced weed, sometimes potentially dangerous substances like fentanyl are widely found in the illicit drug supply.[2] Consuming even small amounts of fentanyl-laced weed can lead to a life-threatening overdose. If you believe someone is experiencing a fentanyl overdose after smoking weed, you should call emergency medical services as soon as possible.

In this article, you will learn:

How to identify laced weed
What laced weed looks like, feels like, and smells like
What drugs cannabis might be laced with
How to spot a fentanyl overdose

Identifying Laced Weed

Determining whether your weed is laced can be difficult. This is why you should only consume weed that you are receiving from a state-licensed medical or recreational dispensary. That said, there are some things you can try to determine if your weed is laced with another substance.

To identify laced weed, you should pay attention to:

Color

Color can be a difficult way to determine whether your weed is laced. Typically, marijuana has a dominant shade of green with specs of colors in it, like red, orange, purple, or blue. You will also notice clear or white colored crystals throughout the weed.[3]

If you know what strain your weed is, you can look up pictures to compare it to the substance you have. If your weed is laced, you might notice weird streaks of color, unusual dullness, or brightness.

Feel

Cannabis is typically sticky and spongy because of the components inside of the marijuana. You might notice your weed feeling dry or powdery if it is laced. If a liquid substance has been added to marijuana, it might feel damp.

Smell

If you have been smoking weed for a long time, you are familiar with how it is supposed to smell. Marijuana is often compared to the smell of a skunk, however, weed connoisseurs can smell fruity and even cheese-like notes depending on the strain of the cannabis.

While laced-weed can have a strong chemical smell, sometimes it has no smell at all. For example, fentanyl is odorless. If you notice something off about the scent of your weed, it is best not to use it.

Testing

If you are worried that your weed is laced, the best thing to do is test it. While there might be some signs about how the weed smells, feels, or looks, there is no way to know for sure if it is safe to use unless you complete a testing kit. Testing kits can determine if your weed has other substances in it like embalming fluid, synthetic opioids, methamphetamine, cocaine, and more.

What Drugs Can Weed Be Laced With?

People are often afraid of smoking fentanyl-laced-weed. However, there is little solid evidence of this being an issue. First, fentanyl cannot withstand high temperatures. When burned, it is destroyed, so there are no effects produced if someone were to smoke marijuana that was laced with fentanyl. Additionally, many police and media reports of laced weed were later proven to be errors.[4]

The most common drugs that people add to weed include:

PCP – PCP or angel dust is a dissociative anesthetic that causes both hallucinogenic and stimulant effects. If it is added to cannabis, it is referred to as “wet weed”.

Heroin – Some people might sprinkle powdered heroin on top of weed before smoking it. This can lead to dangerous effects including lowered heart rate, slowed breathing, and more.

Fentanyl – Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid that often leads to overdoses even in small amounts.[4]

Meth – Meth is a potent stimulant drug that leads to increased energy, insomnia, paranoia, and more. Meth crystals might be added to weed to cause a more powerful high.

Cocaine – Cocaine is a powdered stimulant drug that is easy to add to weed. If you accidentally smoke weed laced with cocaine, you might experience increased energy, restlessness, euphoria, and more.

LSD – LSD is a hallucinogenic drug that can cause visual and auditory hallucinations. Usually, it is a liquid, which means it would be poured on top of the weed before you begin smoking marijuana.

Ketamine – Ketamine is a club drug that causes dissociative effects. It is most frequently seen in powder form, meaning it might be sprinkled on top of weed.

How to Spot a Fentanyl Overdose

Small amounts of fentanyl can lead to fatal overdoses, so you should be extremely cautious when buying any drug off of the street.

If you have come across someone who uses illicit drugs, it might be helpful to be aware of the signs of a fentanyl overdose. Contact 911 immediately if you or a loved one experiences the following side effects:[5]

Slowed heartbeat
Slowed or stopped breathing
Confusion and disorientation
Seizures
Clammy skin
blue-tinted lips or fingernails
Choking or gurgling noises
Extreme drowsiness or sedation

Find Help for Drug Abuse and Addiction

If you or a loved one suffers from marijuana addiction or another type of substance use disorder, it’s time to seek help. At the Mandala Healing Center, we offer evidence-based treatments to help you overcome addiction.

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