What Are The Shatter Drug’s Side Effects and Dangers?

Move over, other illegal drugs like cocaine, meth, heroine, acid, and even marijuana! There’s a new “kid’ in town and it has quite the interesting name to boot: Shatter! Shatter is the new illicit drug on the block that’s taking the world by storm. In light of this growing epidemic with a new, unknown kind of hash oil, it’s best that people keep on reading in order to learn more about Shatter, its effects, and its consequences, particularly in terms of its addiction risks and side effects. The fact of the matter is that both marijuana and its byproducts like Shatter can cause serious negative consequences for anyone who uses them so they shouldn’t be underestimated or trivialized.

What Is Shatter?

What is Shatter anyway? It’s the street name of a new, more potent type of marijuana or cannabis concentrate that’s otherwise known as Butane Hash Oil or BHO. It’s named as BHO because it uses the liquid gas named butane in order to extract terpenes and cannabinoids from cannabis plant matter, creating an extremely strong concentrate or hash oil that gives you an even bigger effect whether you want to get high or stoned.

BHO is hash oil concentrate. The chemical used to extract it from marijuana is solvent called butane, which itself is toxic to humans. Shatter itself also refers to the end product that looks like a sheet of maple syrup or toffee candy. It can also have the consistency of wax or honey, which is why it has earned other nicknames such as “budder” or the corruption of the word “butter” and “honey oil”.

The Side Effects of Shatter

Shatter comes with its own set of side effects. What’s known about Shatter is that it can produce similar effects as the marijuana flower or normal hash but it’s much more intense exactly because it has increased levels of terpenes and cannabinoids in them. Further research is needed in order to know the long-term effects of the drug on the human body.

The most common side effects of Shatter include the following:

• Sore throat
• Bloodshot eyes
• Weakening of the immune system
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Irritation of the airways causing narrowing and spasms
• Possible infections, which includes bronchitis, sinusitis, and asthma for the heavy users

Hash oil concentrates can also impact your mood, which then causes you to feel excessively anxious or panicked. As for how Shatter affects your brain, it makes you difficult to concentrate, thus decreasing your coordination and weakening your ability to remember things.

Withdrawing From Shatter

There are those who can end up mentally dependent on Shatter because marijuana use disorder is a condition that exists. If you use marijuana and its byproducts enough, you run the risk of becoming dependent on its and the high or stone it brings you. Shatter addicts might feel as though they’re unable to control their urge to use the substance or that they require it in order to go through daily life.

Being physically dependent on concentrated cannabis oil can lead to you being more tolerant of its effects, which means you’ll require more frequent and larger doses of Shatter in order to gain the same effects as before. A dab of Shatter can turn into multiple dabs or even a slather of it just to get the high you used to acquire.

Possible withdrawal symptoms of Shatter or any type of hash oil include the following:

• Difficulty of staying or even falling asleep
• Feelings of anxiety, uneasiness, or fearfulness
• Feelings of irritability, confusion, tension, or excitement

THC is the main cannabinoid in marijuana plants that’s similar to anandamide chemically or structurally. In turn, your brain produces this chemical naturally. This structural similarity enables your brain to recognize THC when it receives it, which then alters its normal brain communication in ways that result in a high or a euphoric feeling.

However, using cannabis in heavy, concentrated doses like in the case of Shatter can cause your brain to reduce anandamide production. In turn, this should cause issues with the communication network of your brain and the rest of your nervous system that makes use of these cannabinoid receptors that are specifically known as the endocannabinoid system. This system is responsible for critical nervous system functions such as:

• Modulating the function of immune, endocrine, and brain tissues
• Regulating the secretion of hormones for stress response and reproduction

Severe side effects can also result in tampering with the endocannabinoid system. To be more specific, because THC has the ability to change your brain chemistry or parts of your brain’s neuropathic connections, specifically its hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex. This in turn changes how it functions, resulting in people having memory and learning issues.

Normal brain structures assist people in concentrating or shifting their focus from one subject to another, forming new memories, and learning new things. Therefore, once you start abusing Shatter, its high THC content can sometimes result in extreme side effects and strange withdrawal symptoms that will mess with your brain itself, thus making it difficult to kick your Shatter habit mentally.

The Crack of Marijuana

Shatter has gotten some interesting nicknames throughout its existence, including the infamous title or metaphor of being the “Crack of Marijuana”. If cocaine has crack then marijuana has Shatter. Sure, this might be an inaccurate assumption, but the police have recently voiced concerns regarding the presence of this new type of cannabis byproduct in the streets and schools all across North America.

Is it an exaggeration to call Shatter the crack equivalent of marijuana? Perhaps. Maybe it just reads better as a sensational headline. However, there are no doubts that Shatter has some dangerous side effects and primary effects you should look into. The danger of Shatter roots from the fact that it’s a natural plant used for drugs mixed with another chemical that can lead to certain health concerns.

• A Cannabis Concentrate: Such chemical compounds like BHO are secretions from the marijuana plant that interact with the human brain’s receptors in order to significantly relieve pain and cause a sense of relaxation and euphoria all around. This isn’t the first cannabis concentrate but it is one that’s trending or the latest one to become popular. These concentrates are usually named based off of their texture and color. Shatter, on the other hand, has an amber coloring and is named from its glass-like texture that “shatters” or breaks when it’s used for smoking.
• Shatter and Translucency: There’s a myth circulating and alleging that Shatter’s translucency signifies its purity a la crystal meth. This isn’t true. Contrary to popular belief, the translucency of Shatter instead comes from how it’s made. It’s heated in order to be processed and during this processing, the terpenes and cannabinoids are extracted from plant matter and not agitated.
• How Dangerous Is Shatter? The safety of concentrated marijuana in the form of hash oil like Shatter has been debated quite extensively since they’ve been in existence. It’s something that has become a growing concern even since BHO and other marijuana concentrates have been becoming more and more popular after the legalization of cannabis in even more states. BHO production is reminiscent of the backyard chemists operations done for street-level meth known as speed. It has even caused fatalities and explosions because of how dangerous a process Shatter creation is.
• The Bigger Danger of Shatter: The manufacturer isn’t the only one in danger when making Shatter. He could endanger his neighbors as well. This is because the process can lead to explosions. Furthermore, the drug itself should be taken in small amounts or a dab of it. To be more specific, to get a high from it you should dab it on a heated surface or “nail” then inhaling the resulting smoke. Shatter paraphernalia are more reminiscent of crack pipes than other drug accessories.
• Method of Consumption: Unlike flower cannabis that’s turned to hash for smoking on a bong or as a joint, Shatter consumption entails inhaling the vapors of the oil by placing a small amount of the oil on a heated surface that’s connected to a water pipe. This is known as dabbing and can be quite risky for the user to indulge in. Alternatively, you can also consume the oil by vaping or by placing the oil on a vape pen or e-cigarette cartridge for consumption in that way, so that it feels like you’re smoking a joint or a cigarette.
• Makeshift Labs and Questionable Concentrations: When you purchase Shatter illegally, you’re likely getting BHO made from makeshift laboratories. What this means is that you’re not sure if they’re made properly or not. As Shatter is extracted from marijuana hash, butane gas is removed through heating the mixture. Unfortunately, if it’s not heated long enough at the right temperature, the mixture will have excessive amounts of butane is left. This can poison individuals who dab or smoke Shatter.
• More Toxins from Dabbing: According to research and studies on the processing of BHO, the temperature of the nail used when you dab Shatter can release more toxins as you consume it. However, there should be further research conducted in order to determine the degree of harm from these toxins in the first place. It’s also much safer to avail of hash oil from reputable manufacturers in places where marijuana consumption is legal. This is because they only contain as much butane as the law dictates.

Shatter versus Marijuana

In the world of drugs, every time nature is messed with by man—wherein manmade concoctions are made such as the creation off cocaine and heroin from the coca pant and poppy—you end up with results that are addictive, dangerous, and mostly do more harm than good when push comes to shove. To compare Shatter to marijuana is like comparing cocaine to coca, with the synthesized ones usually much more of a health risk than the former ones.

At the drug’s core, Shatter is essentially a marijuana concentrate that’s extracted from the plant itself through a chemical process using butane, resulting in hash oil that’s many times more potent than your usual stash. It contains all of the same psychoactive effects of cannabis but in a much stronger form because its concentration of cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) are so much higher.

• More Potent Than Marijuana: Compared to the traditional form of marijuana, Shatter is far more potent. This is because BHO contains up wards of 60 percent THC compared to marijuana’s 20 percent. Drug users who use Shatter become high at a faster and stronger rate. Shatter’s primary effects have been described as much more intoxicating and intense. Naturally, this has also resulted in more intense negative effects such as drug-induced paranoia, anxiety, and psychosis. Your resulting paranoia can lead to a dangerous road indeed.
• More Addictive Than Non-Concentrated Marijuana? Shatter is no more addictive to people than non-concentrated marijuana. However, it’s considered to be more dangerous because of its higher cannabinoid content such as cannabinodiol or CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, which does have an effect on how potent it is on the human body and brain. For example, a Shatter sample might have oil that can contain in between 30 to 90 percent THC.
• Addictiveness May Vary from Person to Person: Shatter might be addictive in certain cases not unlike other cannabis concentrates or hash oils. Addiction to marijuana or any other drug can depend on environment or genetics. A person’s personality type as well as a co-occurring substance or mental disorder can also influence whether or not someone can end up addicted or dependent on Shatter in the first place.
• In Comparison to Other Hash Oils: Shatter’s processing technique results in the translucency and smoothness in its texture. Compared to other hash oil types that are continually agitated as they’re heated, Shatter has a clear, glassy texture. Meanwhile, agitated hash oil has a waxy texture and opaque color. This difference in processing allows Shatter to have a different appearance, consistency, and potency compared to its fellow hash oils like CBD oil that’s sold everywhere online these days.
• Shattering Shatter Can Create Edibles: You can also consume Shatter by shattering shatter after it’s been bound to butter or some other type of oil. This isn’t unlike how you can use marijuana butter to make pot brownies or cookies. However, you should be wary of them as well. Edibles made with BHO and other hash oils can contain such extreme THC concentrations that you could end up with short-term THC poisoning after ingestion and digestion of these foodstuffs.
• Marijuana or Shatter Overdose Is Still Unlikely: Like in the case of coffee, marijuana overdose is unlikely. However you should still watch out for negative side effects. This goes double with BHO in light of its potency or concentration. It only takes a small amount of oil or edibles from Shatter in order to feel the same sensations as taking a couple of tokes or inhaling a bong with friends exactly because it’s concentrated cannabinoid extract in oil form.
• The Great Debate: There are those who say that Shatter and other marijuana concentrates are even better than normal pot hash in their pain reduction abilities and help with certain disorders like depression, anxiety, and ADHD. However, there’s another camp that argues against the leftover impurities from Shatter production. What’s more, BHO is getting quite the ill repute due to the carelessness of homegrown BHO processing laboratories that are reminiscent of meth labs for speed, except much more dangerous due to the potential for explosions and fire.

• Mostly Illegal to Produce: Shatter specifically is mostly illegal to produce and buy even in places or states where marijuana has been legalized. However, the pro-marijuana community at large is still split in the middle in regards to whether BHO is a bad or good thing for the patients and the industry. Regulating it might help address many of its problems, like excessive butane usage or irregular concentrations of every batch. It can even be used medicinally like in the case of CBD oil. If only the production was more contained, professional, and safe, then maybe it’s worth getting a more concentrated THC dose.

The Bottom Line in Treating Shatter Dependence

If you realize that you’re suffering intense withdrawal symptoms from not taking in a regular amount of BHO or Shatter in your system, then you might be dependent on the substance. You should definitely avail of an inpatient treatment program like the one available on Lanna Rehab in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Sure, that might be many miles or oceans away from you depending on where you live, but it’s worth the travel because it can provide psychological and physical services needed to help you survive your Shatter withdrawal without relapsing.

There aren’t any FDA-approved medications to assist in treating marijuana use disorders. Nonetheless, you can get over your cannabis addiction with a combination of behavioral therapies and detoxification processes at Lanna. The rehab service from Lanna Center also includes dual diagnosis, individualized holistic therapy, psychotherapy like Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and a resort-like environment with travel packages that are always cheaper than rehab you can get locally. Rehab tourism has become quite big in Asia because it combines the relaxation of a vacation with the effectiveness of inpatient rehab in one package.

Lanna Rehab Can Help You Deal with Shatter Addiction

It might be quite frightening a prospect to end up addicted to a newly developed street drug that barely anyone knows about. Your rehab center might not even be equipped to deal with you abusing or potentially overdosing on this unknown substance that’s a more potent form of cannabis. Thankfully, the staff and crew of Lanna Rehab keep abreast with current events and the latest drugs, including the one known as Shatter. Before Shatter ends up doing just that with your life and your world, you should give Lanna Addiction Rehab in Chiang Mai, Thailand a call on its 24/7 hotline for a price quote.

You shouldn’t wait. Get help right away and call Lanna Rehab in order to get connected with a treatment specialist who’ll hook you up with various package deals for rehab tourism. Their agents are standing by all-day, every day.