Smiles Can Be Dangerous!

Smiles or 2C-I is one of the latest synthetic drugs that has gained popularity and has been associated with the recent deaths of two teens in North Dakota.  The synthetic drug which has no approved medical use in the US is taken orally in tablet form, on blotter paper or snorted for its hallucinogenic effects.  The chemical substance, 4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, produces stimulus effects similar to those produced by LSD and MDMA (a common ingredient found in Ecstasy).

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), “Effects of 2C-I can last up to 8 hours.  Various users reported delayed desired effects compared to related drugs, which may result in some users taking additional doses or other drugs which may increase the risk of toxicity and accidental over dosage.”  An overdose of Smiles can cause seizures, kidney failure, extremely high blood pressure and body temperature.  Similar to 2C-B which is a Schedule 1 drug,  2C-I is illegal to manufacture, buy, sell or possess and may be treated as a Schedule-1 drug on a case by case base, according to the DEA.