Last Updated:

January 30th, 2026

Spice addiction: Signs, symptoms and side-effects

Spice is a synthetic cannabinoid, but that can mislead people into thinking it is some form of cannabis. However, Spice is created entirely from lab-made chemicals that are sprayed onto dried herbs to mimic the look of cannabis. Spice is often called the “zombie drug” because users freeze motionless, and it has been the cause of a number of deaths, extensive crime, and countless incidents of antisocial behaviour.  Spice was banned in Britain under the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act, but it is still widely available. Anyone using Spice needs to understand just how dangerous it is and get help for Spice addiction right away.

Spice-Addiction-Collection-Of-Spice

What is Spice addiction?

Spice addiction is a type of new psychoactive substance addiction, which means you cannot stop Spice abuse even when you want to. Spice abuse often starts when life becomes unbearable, and rates of use are particularly high in prisons, among the homeless, and in some of Britain’s poorest communities.

Spice’s effects offer a temporary escape from these circumstances, but the synthetic cannabinoids bind much more strongly to your brain receptors than natural cannabis does. After using Spice regularly for just a few days, your brain adapts to expect Spice, so you have to use it to avoid withdrawal instead of getting high. This is called Spice dependence, and it produces withdrawal symptoms that can include violent shaking, constant vomiting, and dangerous panic attacks and hallucinations.

Spice addiction tightens its grip when you lose all control over your choices. It doesn’t matter if you have had a near miss, lost important relationships, or even seen other people die from Spice abuse; you still just can’t stop.

Recognising Spice addiction signs

Spice’s effects are strange and unpredictable, so it’s easy to dismiss early Spice addiction signs as one bad reaction or just a “strong batch.” But when use becomes compulsive and recovery between doses gets harder, you need to look carefully at what is happening. Some red flags which may help you see through Spice addiction denial include:

  • Using Spice all day, every day, despite frightening or dangerous experiences
  • Smoking Spice alone or in unsafe public spaces
  • Hiding Spice use from support workers, family, or friends
  • Buying Spice from strangers or online sellers after running out
  • Borrowing or stealing money to afford more Spice
  • Needing Spice to calm down or sleep
  • Growing paranoid, numb, or withdrawing from people who care about you
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you don’t use Spice

Why is Spice addictive?

What makes Spice so addictive starts with its chemical design. Natural cannabis contains THC, which partially activates your brain’s cannabinoid receptors. Spice’s synthetic compounds function as full agonists and completely saturate those receptors at maximum intensity.

More dangerously, after your body metabolises Spice, those breakdown products keep binding to receptors instead of being eliminated. The effects multiply rather than fade, so your brain endures an assault of chemicals it has never evolved to withstand.

In addition to Spice’s intentional addictive effects, there are other addiction risk factors which need to be understood for effective prevention and treatment:

 

The chemical roulette
No two bags of Spice contain identical chemicals, as clandestine labs in China and India constantly reformulate to evade drug laws. One batch might have 5F-ADB (tied to ten Japanese deaths), and the next AMB-FUBINACA (thought to have caused New York’s “zombie outbreak”). Uneven spraying means one pinch delivers almost nothing while another can bring on drug addiction fast or trigger a deadly Spice overdose.
Rapid-onset Spice withdrawal
Spice withdrawal starts in just a few hours, and you may start convulsing, vomiting relentlessly, or experiencing panic that mimics a heart attack. It is impossible to do anything with these symptoms, and so using again can feel like the only way to stop them.
Escapism
95% of Manchester’s homeless were found to be using Spice in 2017, and Spice abuse rates among the homeless are still very high.. When facing nightly abuse, theft, and assault on the streets, Spice can help desperate people forget depression, trauma, fear, loneliness and anxiety, at least while the dose lasts. Similarly, in British prisons, 91% of prisoners use Spice for boredom relief, and 89% to make time go faster.
Prison saturation
Spice caused 48% of UK prison deaths from 2015 to 2020. It is cheap, undetectable in standard tests, and can be smuggled easily on paper-soaked letters. As explained above, boredom in prison often drives this Spice misuse, while the closed environment means constant circulation. When everyone around you uses Spice, avoiding it must become nearly impossible.

Spice Addiction Woman Stressed At Work

Spice side effects and addiction dangers

Spice is one of the most dangerous drugs ever sold as a “legal high.” Its effects vary from mild confusion to complete physical collapse, and the risks grow with every dose:

The zombie effect (catatonia)
Spice’s signature danger is sudden paralysis, where you remain conscious but frozen, standing motionless for hours, and unable to respond. Falls in this state cause constant injuries, and emergency services faced thousands of these incidents monthly during the Manchester Spice epidemic in 2017.
Violent psychosis
Spice triggers psychotic breaks far beyond anything cannabis produces. This can include terrifying hallucinations of people stalking you, voices demanding self-harm or violence toward others. Police and prison officers have been assaulted on numerous occasions, with violent and psychotic episodes persisting for days and sometimes leaving permanent psychological damage.
Heart and breathing crises
Unlike cannabis (which has never caused a confirmed fatal overdose), Spice kills people frequently. Spice abuse can cause dangerous heart rate spikes, laboured or stopped breathing, and deadly seizures. Synthetic cannabinoid deaths in England and Wales doubled from 24 in 2017 to 60 in 2018, and still now, emergency crews regularly find unconscious users in alleyways, parks, and prison cells.
Kidney damage
Spice systematically damages kidneys, and some users develop acute injury requiring dialysis. The chemicals in Spice can even cause permanent renal damage, leaving very young people needing transplants.
Social and personal fallout
Beyond medical harm, Spice can destroy future prospects and any chance of escaping a difficult life situation. Spice addiction can ruin relationships, while possession charges lead to prison sentences, and criminal records that make life immeasurably harder.

What does Spice addiction recovery involve?

Inpatient medical drug detox is critical for Spice withdrawal because of seizures, psychosis, and heart emergencies that can strike without warning. Medical staff can control these symptoms through medication and constant monitoring as your system eliminates all the synthetic compounds, but this can take several days of intensive medical care.

New psychoactive substance rehab then targets both your chemical dependence and the circumstances driving your use, like homelessness, prison trauma, or untreated mental health problems. It is always most effective when rehab programmes follow immediately after detox, and include a residential stay, relapse prevention strategies, and post-rehab aftercare.

These last two are very important because many Spice users return to environments where the drug is still everywhere, and they need to manage old faces, places and struggles. Joining local support groups like NA meetings can help with this transition, as can getting support with employment, secure housing and any ongoing mental health needs.

Recovery from Spice is possible. If you want to know more, contact us at Recovery.org today. Our team knows all the best treatment options, and we can have an honest conversation to work out exactly what you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Spice called the “zombie drug”?
Spice causes a unique catatonic effect where users freeze mid-action, unable to move or respond while remaining conscious. This “zombie” appearance comes from how synthetic cannabinoids overwhelm your brain’s motor control systems.
Can you overdose on Spice?
Yes, a Spice overdose can occur easily because the drug’s strength is unpredictable. Even a small amount can trigger seizures, heart failure, or complete collapse. If someone who has taken Spice becomes unresponsive, struggles to breathe, or their heart is racing, call 999 immediately.
Is Spice the same as cannabis?
No, despite marketing as “synthetic cannabis,” Spice shares no chemistry with actual cannabis, and is entirely lab-made. Natural THC partially activates brain receptors, but Spice compounds flood those receptors at far higher intensity. Cannabis has never caused a fatal overdose as far as scientists know, but many people have died from Spice overdose.

(Click here to see works cited)