A 17-year-old from Naples is on a guarded prognosis and risks his life for consuming wax, commonly called “high honey”. The substance, which has sadly become more famous in recent times, is in reality not new, but already known to the scientific community in terms of its structure and its potential effects. And that is now very worrying.
What it is and what it is made of
As explained by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), the main Australian organization committed to preventing and minimizing the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs, the so-called “high honey” is ‘Butane hash oil’ (BHO), a substance that contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient of cannabis, in very high concentrations, produced through a chemical process that uses butane oil.
To understand what we are really talking about, some studies suggest that BHO can have a THC concentration of around 80%, compared to around 10-25% for traditional cannabis.
What it looks like and how to use it
BHO can be similar to honey or wax (hence the common name “high honey”), but also hard and brittle like glass, usually a golden amber color, but can also be translucent or opaque
“Regular” cannabis is traditionally smoked or vaporized, but these methods are not effective for consuming butane hash oil, as it becomes a “thin liquid” when heated, so a specially designed tool known as an “oil rig” is used.
The dangers
Home production of BHO is very dangerous, as butane is flammable and highly volatile (several accidents have occurred in the United States alone, including explosions, fires, and severe burns).
Lately, however, the dangers of its intake have unfortunately emerged in the field: first of all, the high level of THC and the particular method of intake can increase the risk of addiction and intensify withdrawal symptoms.
It is also known that high concentration cannabis consumption, in the form of BHO, can induce relaxation, reduction of nausea, alterations in heart rate and blood pressure, pain relief, excitement and restlessness, but also confusion and paranoia, anxiety and panic, reduction in attention, delays in reaction times and even detachment from reality.
Long-term effects instead depend on the amount and frequency of cannabis use and can also be influenced by the way cannabis is consumed, but frequent use can lead to cannabis dependence, lung damage and reduced cognitive function.
People who use cannabis concentrates with very high THC content (such as BHO) may also be at greater risk of developing mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and psychosis.
What happened in Naples
As reported by Adnkronos, there are three young people, gathered in the minor’s house, who consumed the drug, presumably purchased on the Internet. While the older boys, aged 19 and 22 respectively, did not report serious health problems, the 17-year-old was transferred to the intensive care unit of the San Paolo hospital in Naples with a guarded prognosis and life-threatening condition, with serious respiratory problems.
The jar containing the substance was apparently provided to the police directly by the 17-year-old’s father, and from the first tests carried out it tested positive for cannabinoids.
