One of the many names given to synthetic cannabinoids is liquid K2. Synthetic chemicals are sprayed onto shredded, dried plant material to create it. Because its chemical structure is similar but not identical to that of cannabis (or marijuana), it is classified as a designer drug. Because its molecular structure differs from that of illicit drugs, it is legal in states where cannabis is not. This also implies that it has a similar but far more potent effect on the brain than cannabis.

Synthetic cannabinoids act on the same brain receptors (cannabinoid receptors) as tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana), albeit more intensely.