As an amateur chemist, I do keep tabs on what’s going with research chemicals. Perhaps the most interesting one lately is JWH-018, basically a synthetic cannabinoid with effects similar to smoking marijuana. JWH-018 has a longer duration of effects compared to marijuana however.

This is not the only synthetic cannabinoid, but possibly the most popular.

A company called THC Pharm, in Germany, found this substance in January 2009, in the herbal smoking blend called Spice (introduced in 2002), which is sold as a legal alternative to marijuana or “incense”, as they call it. Basically as soon as THC Pharm published their findings, Germany banned this very unknown substance, JWH-018.

Currently you can find it at some research chemical shops, but most of the shops in the UK are halting sales due to pending legislation.

You can read more about JWH-018 here on Wikipedia, or leave questions.