Synthetic Pot Sales Reach $2 Billion Despite Safety Fears

Welcome to my latest look at the cannabis and psychedelics industries. The black market has created its share of innovations over the years, but legalization seems to have accelerated the rate at which new cannabis-style drugs are popping up. THC-P? THCjd? Here’s a look at what the alphabet soup of THC imitators means for the nascent industry — and public health.

A new generation of synthetic drugs made from hemp is undercutting the legal cannabis market — and raising concerns about contaminants and side effects including seizures and lung injury.