The chemical is a cannabanoid similar to thc that effects the same region of the brain. It is JWH-018, most commonly. it wont show on a test because there is no thc. It gives you a similar high that does not last nearly as long. you can buy the ra chemical and freebase it if your into that, but thats when people say they trip.
unlike THC you can overdose on JWH-018. youd have to smoke a ton though
i know kids who smoke it all the time, it is created to smoke but they "dont sell it to smoke" in headshops and shit. i mean you can buy nitrous in these shops because they say it is for whipped cream. they also sell a cocaine substitute that works similarly, but it is sold as bath salts, hahahahaha