In July 2009, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) added JWH-018 to its list of controlled substances. Despite known cases of Spice seizures in Ohio and Florida, several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, North Dakota, and Tennessee, have implemented measures restricting the sale or possession of JWH-018.
At least one case of JWH-018 addiction has been reported in the media. The patient took JWH-018 daily for several years. Withdrawal symptoms were more severe than those experienced with cannabis addiction. JWH-018, which is available for sale online, has been shown to cause significant changes in CB1 receptor density after administration, resulting in faster desensitization than with similar cannabinoids.