Even though synthetic marijuana (often packaged and sold as “K2” or “Spice”) has been banned in states like New York for quite some time now, the unnatural version is still finding its way into delis and bodegas. In 2015, the NYPD seized $10 million worth of the drug, and more than 30 people were hospitalized after a massive K2 overdose in the city. Most recently, the drug killed one person and horribly affected 38 others in Illinois. Unfortunately, it seems like things are worse than ever, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) providing us with a serious update on the matter.
CDC has issued a dire warning about life-threading bleeding linked to synthetic marijuana on Thursday after a total of 94 people were rushed to emergency departments across the states of Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin with serious bleeding between March 10 and April 5. Two people have died from the drug.
CNN reports that at least three of the samples from this recent outbreak were found to contain rat poison, with subsequent lab tests verifying the deadly chemical was found in at least 18 of the aforementioned patients.
"This is the first time bleeding has ever been associated with synthetic cannabinoids,” said Professor Paul L. Prather of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at University of Arkansas. “It is certainly possible that the bleeding issues…might be due to products laced with the rat poison brodifacoum.”
However, Prather also thinks its possible that the bleeding could've been caused by a yet-to-be identified chemical that was reportedly first identified in 2012. Whatever the cause, this bleeding seen in Illinois for the first time opens up a “whole other can of worms,” according to Prather. So, once again, stay away from synthetic weed.
