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  • Detox From Spice

    Detox From Spice

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: The actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, severe or cause death. We review more about Spice and how to detox from synthetic cannibinoids, including medical protocols and where to find help.

    ESTIMATED READING TIME: 10 minutes

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    What Is Spice?

    Spice is just one name of the many trade names or brands for synthetic designer drugs that are intended to mimic THC, the main active ingredient of marijuana. It’s typically a mix of herbs (shredded plant material) and manmade chemicals with mind-altering effects. These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. Because of this similarity, synthetic cannabinoids are sometimes misleadingly called “synthetic marijuana” or “fake weed”.

    Synthetic cannibinoids found in Spice are illegal. These substances have no accepted medical use in the United States and have been reported to produce adverse health effects. Currently, 26 substances are specifically listed as Schedule I substances under the Controlled Substances Act either through legislation or regulatory action.

    In fact, Spice is not safe and may affect the brain much more powerfully than marijuana; the actual effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, more dangerous or even life-threatening. Still, Spice is most often labeled “Not for Human Consumption” and disguised as incense. Sellers of the drug try to lead people to believe they are “natural” and therefore harmless, but they are neither.

    How Spice is Made

    Synthetic cannabinoids are part of a group of drugs called “new psychoactive substances”. They are unregulated mind-altering substances that have become newly available on the market and are intended to produce the same effects as illegal drugs. Some of these substances may have been around for years but have reentered the market in altered chemical forms, or due to renewed popularity.

    Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked. They are made in labs all over the world, and are constantly evolving. Synthetic cannabinoids were initially developed for research purposes. As such, the methods for synthesizing the compounds are published in scientific literature. Today, these formulas are used by clandestine chemists to produce compounds for commercial synthetic cannabinoids products.

    Once synthesized, synthetic cannabinoids are dissolved in ethanol or acetone and sprayed on plant material, which is then sold in packets as incense, herbal blends, or potpourri, and usually labeled with a disclaimer indicating that the contents are not for human consumption.

    Additionally, there are many chemicals that remain unidentified in products sold as Spice and it is therefore not clear how they may affect the user. Moreover, these chemicals are often being changed as the makers of Spice alter them to avoid the products being illegal.

    What Happens To Your Brain?

    Spice has only been around a few years, and research is only just beginning to measure how it affects the brain. So far, there have been few scientific studies of the effects of synthetic cannabinoids on the human brain, but researchers do know that some of them bind more strongly than marijuana to the cell receptors affected by THC, and can produce much stronger effects. The resulting health effects can be unpredictable and dangerous.

    Because the chemical composition of many synthetic cannabinoid products is unknown and may change from batch to batch, these products are likely to contain substances that cause dramatically different effects than the user might expect.

    The mental health consequences can be even more severe. There are reports of extreme depression with suicidal thoughts that can endanger the safety of the person abusing synthetic cannabinoids. In other recent cases, some users overdoses resemble opioid overdoses, including lethargy and suppression of breathing; in other cases they have exhibited agitated and violent behavior.

    What Happens To Your Body?

    We still do not know all the ways Spice may affect a person’s health or how toxic it may be, but it is possible that there may be harmful heavy metal residues in Spice mixtures. If you or someone you love experience these symptoms, seek for help right away, before is too late.

    As use increases in frequency and duration, there are greater risks of ill effects of synthetic marijuana abuse including:

    • Death.
    • Heart attacks.
    • Injuries due to erratic or violent behaviors.
    • Kidney damage.
    • Onset or exacerbation of mental health disorders.
    • Respiratory issues similar to those seen in tobacco smokers.
    • Seizures.

    Dependence

    Your body adjusts to Spice over time. In fact, you can become physically dependent on it. Detox is similar to symptoms experienced during cannabis withdrawal, including lack of appetite, irritability, and sleep disruptions.

    People who have used synthetic cannabinoids for long periods and abruptly stop have reported withdrawal-like symptoms, suggesting that the substances are addictive. Commonly reported symptoms from some heavy users of synthetic cannabinoids include:

    • Headache
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Severe anxiety
    • Sweating
    • Trouble sleeping

    Some people who suddenly stop using synthetic cannabinoids after frequent use have reported severe symptoms such as:

    • Chest pain
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Palpitations
    • Rapid heart rate
    • Seizures

    The severity of these withdrawal-like symptoms may be related to how much and how long someone has used synthetic cannabinoids. Spice withdrawal symptoms can be quite unpleasant and for some, even dangerous. If you stop using Spice, you may experience following symptoms:

    • Cravings.
    • Depression.
    • Diarrea.
    • Extreme sweating.
    • Insomnia.
    • Nausea.
    • Paranoia.
    • Psychosis.
    • Seizures.
    • Suicidal thoughts.
    • Vomiting.

    Detox Duration

    Withdrawal has been reported to occur shortly after smoking, with one person reporting that she would wake up every 45 min throughout the night to smoke in order to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

    Still, the amount of time it takes to detox from Spice varies from person to person. In fact, the time between synthetic cannabinoid use, symptom onset, and the time to recovery depends on several factors, such as the specific synthetic cannabinoid(s) used, the route of exposure (inhalation, ingestion), and the amount consumed.

    Withdrawal symptoms may not begin for 1-3 days after last use when smoking reali marijuana, while synthetic marijuana withdrawal symptoms may begin just 15 minutes after last use.

    Timeline

    With many types of substances available and limited research in this area, exact duration and course of synthetic marijuana detoxes are currently unknown.

    Dangers

    Death is a rare but serious risk associated with the use of Spice. Since the chemicals found in the synthetic cannabinoid vary from one package to another, and the potency can differ even within a package, the effects are unpredictable, turning it into a dangerous Pandora’s Box.

    Can You Do It Yourself?

    No. We don´t recommend trying to detox from Spice on your own, it´s not safe. Detox, done in a safe and controlled way, is a great way to manage withdrawal, transition into addiction treatment, and achieve long-term abstinence.

    Where To Detox?

    Detox clinics share the same goal of helping you end physical dependence in a safe way. However, programs will differ in their range of services, intensity of services, and treatment setting.

    Broader substance abuse rehabilitation occurs in either an inpatient or outpatient care setting; your decision to begin treatment at one or the other may depend on how severe your use is.

    Inpatient/residential treatment require that the person lives at the center during treatment. These are more intense services and provide 24-hour staffing and care. Some inpatient/ residential options last just a few weeks while others are a year in length.

    Outpatient treatment is reserved for people with lower needs. These programs allow you to live at home, continue working, and care for other responsibilities while attending treatment during the day. Outpatient treatment varies with some programs involving 30 hours per week (partial hospitalization programs), 9 hours per week (intensive outpatient programs), and 1-2 hours per week (standard outpatient).

    Medications That Can Help

    The FDA still does not approve any medication to treat dependence on synthetic cannibinoids. The medications that can help are only to treat the effects and symptoms of abstinence that Spice abuse leads to. Some possible treatments follow:
    • Symptom management for acute intoxication is frequently treated with supportive care and intravenous fluids to treat electrolyte and fluid disturbances.
    • Although not always effective, antiemetics have been administered for vomiting during Spice detox.
    • Chest pain has been reported in adolescents abusing Spice. Treatment options have included aspirin, nitroglycerin and benzodiazepines.
    • Naltrexone has been prescribed to one person and appeared to reduce Spice cravings associated with detoxification.
    • People who present with profuse sweating, tremors, palpitations, insomnia, headache, depression, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting; associated with intoxication or withdrawal are generally administered benzodiazepines as a first-line treatment. Quetiapine was effective in treating withdrawal symptoms in persons who failed to respond to benzodiazepines
    • Neuroleptics are also administered for acute psychosis and agitation and mania with psychotic symptoms.

    Some persons are polysubstance users and have co-occurring psychiatric disorders. As such, symptoms that appear to be related to Spice withdrawal may in fact be due to underlying issues exacerbated by synthetic cannabinoid use and not necessarily a direct reflection of Spice withdrawal.

    Facts & Statistics About Spice

    FACT #1: Spice is a 21st Century Drug. It became available in the US around 2004 via internet and many “head shops.” Synthetic cannabinoids are the second-most widely used illicit drug in high school seniors in the United States. [1]

    FACT #2: Teens are using it. In a 2012 national survey of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students, 4.4% of the 8th graders, 8.8% of the 10th graders and 11.3% of the 12th graders admitted using synthetic marijuana. The rise in use of Spice among younger persons is particularly alarming. [1]

    A nationally representative sample of nearly 12000 high school seniors revealed 10% of students reported using synthetic cannabinoids in the previous 12 months, and 3.2% reported “frequent use” (at least 6 times). Females were significantly less likely than males to use Spice in this study. [1]

    The odds of using Spice was significantly increased if the teenagers endorsed a history of using alcohol, cannabis, or cigarettes and was directly related to the number of evenings per week the teenagers went out “for fun”. [1]

    In a study of college students, eight to 14% of participants in the study reported the use of synthetic cannabinoids, starting at an average age of 18 years. The attractiveness of these synthetic cannabinoids for young people include the lack of readily available methods of detection, the perception that these drugs are legal or “harmless,” and availability in shops that sell paraphernalia for marijuana and tobacco users (head shops), in gas stations or convenience stores, or sometimes over the internet. Studies have demonstrated that the motivation for use of these products were not only to “get high” but also to avoid detection. [1]

    FACT #3: Spice is causing extremely serious side effects. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), there were 13 calls to poison centers in 2009 regarding exposure to synthetic cannabinoids, but in 2010 there were 2,915 documented calls. As of May 31, 2011, there were already 2,476 calls to poison centers regarding synthetic cannabinoid exposure. The widespread availability of the drug is one of the most concerning aspects in this new drug of abuse. In 2011, Spice was mentioned by persons in the emergency room 28,531 times. This is a dramatic increase over the 11,406 mentions in 2010.

    FACT #4: Distributors mask the dangers of Spice through lies in labeling. Spice distributors often market Spice as natural herbs or harmless incense using colorful, attractive packaging and the allure of a safe experience. Spice also attracts teens because it is not easily detectable in urine and blood samples. This encourages both traditional marijuana users as well as those with no prior experience with illegal substances.

    Do You Have Questions?

    Do you have questions about Spice detox? Would you like to know more? Please ask any questions you may have here in the comments section and we will get back to you personally and promptly.
    Reference Sources:
    [1] Synthetic cannabinoids 2015: An update for pediatricians in clinical practice
    Additional Reference Sources:
    CDC: Synthetic cannabinoids: An overview for healthcare providers
    DEA: K2-Spice
    DEA: Spice-K2 fact sheet
    NCBI: Adverse effects of synthetic cannabinoids: Management of acute toxicity and withdrawal
    NIDA: Synthetic cannabinoids
    NIDA FOR TEENS: Spice
    TOXNET: Cannabicyclohexanol

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  • Aaron Hernandez Allegedly Smoked K2 For Days Before Death

    Aaron Hernandez Allegedly Smoked K2 For Days Before Death

    One inmate says the New England Patriot spent his last days smoking K2 and “wasn’t in his right mind.”

    Radar Online has reported that former New England Patriots tight-end, Aaron Hernandez, spent the last two days of his life using synthetic marijuana, and died by suicide while in a chemically disoriented state.

    Documents viewed by Radar also suggested that a state investigation into Hernandez’s suicide on April 19, 2017 at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts withheld information about the 27-year-old’s drug use for fear of compromising a separate investigation into drug use at the facility.

    Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the shooting death of semi-pro player Odin Lloyd in 2013.

    Radar cited a redacted section of the 132-page public report that included quotes from an interview with an unnamed inmate on the day Hernandez died.

    According to Radar, the prisoner is reported to have said, “Well, he’s spent the last two days smoking K2 in his cell, and he wasn’t in his right mind.”

    Two other inmates corroborated that story, while all three alleged that Hernandez appeared to be in a positive or even celebratory mood in the days prior to his death, possibly due to his acquittal on murder charges stemming from a separate double homicide in 2012.

    Reports about Hernandez’s alleged use of K2—a form of synthetic marijuana with a propensity for causing a host of symptoms from hallucinations to unconsciousness and in some cases, severe bleeding—surfaced almost immediately after his death.

    But a 2017 toxicology report from the Massachusetts State Police found that Hernandez had no evidence of drugs in his system at the time of his death.

    But as toxicologist Marilyn Huestis told the Boston Globe, K2 can be easy to miss in test screenings. “These [synthetic marijuana strains] can be so potent, the doses so low, that when a person takes it, you can only measure it in their blood for a short period of time,” she noted. “So labs will frequently miss it in the blood.”

    Those findings were rebuked by Hernandez’s lawyer, Jose Baez, who in a statement to People, said, “The lack of professionalism exhibited by government officials and their employees during this entire process is unprecedented.”

    Another of Hernandez’s lawyers, George Leontire, also condemned the state’s handling of the investigation. “Any disturbing commentary about the state’s investigation was clearly hidden from the public, Aaron’s lawyers, and his family,” he said to the Globe.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Surge In K2 Overdoses Worries Brooklyn's Community Leaders

    Surge In K2 Overdoses Worries Brooklyn's Community Leaders

    “We’ve seen this area be an epicenter for K2. Whether it’s a bodega or whether it’s a crime syndicate. It will not be allowed in this community.”

    After five individuals were hospitalized in the same evening for allegedly overdosing on synthetic marijuana community leaders and law enforcement in Brooklyn, New York announced a call for action to rein in the borough’s ongoing problems with use of the drug.

    Representatives from the City Council praised efforts by the New York Police Department (NYPD) for focusing their efforts on distribution rather than users, which has resulted in the closure of several bodegas that sell the drug – also known as spice or K2 – but noted that greater efforts to provide education, fair housing and treatment could make more lasting changes.

    The overdoses that prompted the community response all took place in the morning of September 8, 2018, when five men overdosed on the same corner in the Bushwick neighborhood – an area dubbed “Zombieland” by residents because of the high incidence of K2 use there.

    All five individuals, whom neighbors said had used synthetic marijuana, were listed in stable condition after being hospitalized; more than 100 people overdosed in a single weekend at that corner in May of 2018.

    Speaking on September 10, 2018 in front of a bodega that had been closed by NYPD for selling synthetic marijuana, City Council member Robert Cornegy told the assembled crowd that while police efforts have curbed the availability of the drug and reduced the sheer number of overdoses, five was still a “horrible number,” as High Times noted, and that more work was necessary to combat the K2 problem.

    “We’ve seen this area be an epicenter for K2,” he said. “Whether it’s a bodega, whether it’s an individual or whether it’s a crime syndicate. It will not be allowed in this community.”

    Cornegy voiced appreciation for the collaborative efforts between community leaders, local officials and the police, which he said was the “first time” all three groups had worked together on such a borough-wide issue. He also expressed gratitude for police efforts to halt the spread of K2 by targeting bodegas that sold the drug, and for focusing their efforts on distributors instead of those who use it.

    Information and increased resources were cited as a possible means of breaking the cycle of K2 abuse in Brooklyn. “Until we have an education system that allows people to achieve the highest in education, and where they can feel comfortable in affordable housing, you are going to have this kind of behavior,” Cornegy told the crowd.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • More Than 70 People Overdose In Connecticut Park Over 24-Hour Period

    More Than 70 People Overdose In Connecticut Park Over 24-Hour Period

    K2 is to blame for the mass overdose in New Haven.

    Starting on Tuesday night, more than 70 people suffered a drug overdose in a 24-hour period in New Haven, Connecticut—most of them a stone’s throw from Yale University.

    According to CBS News, the Drug Enforcement Administration has confirmed that the cause of the mass overdose was, indeed, K2—the synthetic drug that’s been the suspect behind similar mass drug poisonings from Washington, D.C. to Skid Row.

    Initially, officials speculated that the mystery substance was “possibly laced with an opioid” such as fentanyl, the New York Times reported. But the DEA confirmed that no additives were detected.

    Most of the poisonings happened on New Haven Green, a park not far from Yale University. At least two people experienced “life-threatening symptoms,” but no deaths were reported. Three people were arrested in relation to the mass overdose.

    At the scene, the victims suffered “a multitude of signs and symptoms ranging from vomiting, hallucinating, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, [and] semi-conscious and unconscious states,” said Rick Fontana, New Haven’s director of emergency operations.

    Emergency personnel scrambled to reach all of the victims. They were “sprinting from patient to patient in the park,” with crews transporting people quickly “just to turn the cars around and get them back out,” according to Dr. Sandy Bogucki, the city’s director of emergency medical services.

    On July 4, there were 14 drug overdoses in the same area of New Haven, with K2 as the reported cause.

    Also in July, NBC News reported that more than 260 people were sickened by “synthetic drugs” in Washington, D.C. in a span of 10 days. Once again, K2 was the suspected cause.

    This marked a significant increase from the previous July, when just 107 were hospitalized for drug poisonings in Washington, D.C.

    K2 is also known as Spice and “synthetic marijuana.” However, as High Times notes, comparing the drug to cannabis is “being generous.”

    The only similarity that K2 may have to cannabis, however faint, is its physical appearance. But the effects couldn’t be more different.

    “In reality, the drug is a manmade chemical cocktail of various psychoactive substances,” High Times explains. “The chemical mixture is then sprayed onto dried herbs or plant material, giving the drug an appearance similar to botanical cannabis.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • FDA Warns Of Synthetic Marijuana Laced With Rat Poison

    FDA Warns Of Synthetic Marijuana Laced With Rat Poison

    The warning comes amid a wave of synthetic marijuana overdoses. 

    The FDA warned this week about the ongoing danger of synthetic cannabis laced with rat poison, floating concerns that the tainted drug could pose a threat to the nation’s blood supply. 

    Poisoned supplies of the drug have already accounted for several deaths and sent hundreds of users to the hospital this year with severe bleeding or seizures, officials said. 

    Concern about contaminated drug stashes comes amid an ongoing effort to stamp out the use of the cannabis copycat often sold illegally in convenient stores and corner markets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised a red flag about the risks of rat poison-laced supplies earlier this year. 

    “Despite our efforts, certain entities continue to bypass state and federal drug laws by making and distributing these products – often marked or labeled as ‘not for human consumption’ – and changing the structure of the synthetic chemicals to try to skirt legal requirements,” the FDA wrote in its release. 

    But the real danger in recent months, the agency said, is that K2 makers have begun adding in brodifacoum – an anticoagulant used in rat poison – in an effort to prolong the high. 

    Adding that chemical can pose other health risks, including severe bleeding. Hundreds of users across 10 Midwestern states have been hospitalized in recent months as a result of complications stemming from the presence of brodifacoum, the agency said. 

    “Today, we’re joining together to send a strong warning to anyone who may use synthetic marijuana products that these products can be especially dangerous as a result of the seemingly deliberate use of brodifacoum in these illegal products,” the agency wrote in a release Thursday. 

    Aside from the risk to users, the agency also highlighted the threat to the blood supply. 

    “The FDA has received several reports of donors who used synthetic cannabinoids contaminated with brodifacoum. Because of its long half-life, the bleeding risk from brodifacoum, which prevents vitamin K from being reused within the body, can persist for weeks,” the agency wrote.

    “Given the known and unknown risks associated with these synthetic cannabinoid products, the FDA urges individuals to avoid using them, especially since there’s no way of telling which synthetic marijuana products have been contaminated with the powerful anticoagulant brodifacoum.” 

    The agency vowed to continue monitoring the situation, along with the CDC and DEA.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Bad Batch" Of K2 Suspected In DC Mass Overdose

    "Bad Batch" Of K2 Suspected In DC Mass Overdose

    Since last week, 140 people were sickened and four have died in the suspected overdose wave.

    A “bad batch” of K2, a nickname for “synthetic marijuana,” is the prime suspect behind a recent rash of apparent overdoses in Washington, D.C.

    Fox 5 reported on Wednesday that 140 people were sickened and four have died since Saturday. “Since July 14th we’ve had over 100 people that we’ve transported,” said D.C. Fire & EMS Chief Gregory Dean.

    While the suspected overdoses occurred in “pockets throughout the District,” emergency officials observed that many of them occurred near one homeless shelter not far from D.C. police headquarters.

    “You will see people that are unconscious, people that are vomiting, people that are collapsing or maybe being overly aggressive—those are signs that they may be impacted or under the influence,” said Dean.

    According to NBC News, the number of emergency calls for suspected overdoses has fluctuated in recent years. In July of 2016, the D.C. fire department responded to 597 overdose patients to the hospital, while in July of 2017, that number decreased to 105.

    Authorities handed out “Emergency Alert” flyers in hard-hit areas containing information about K2, how to stay safe, and resources for substance use disorder treatment and behavioral health services.

    While authorities have tried keeping up with the use of K2, reports of mass overdoses haven’t gone away.

    Last month, the Daily Beast reported a “remarkable increase in the use of synthetic cannabinoids among IV drug users.” There are now at least 700 possible variations of synthetic cannabinoids, according to the report.

    “We are now in our eighth generation of synthetic cannabinoids and they just keep getting more powerful and unpredictable,” said forensic narcotics expert David Leff. “Users you have no idea what you’re actually consuming. These are substances that have never been tested on humans.”

    Also, over the last year, we’ve come across reports of K2 laced with bug spray, and K2 that cause more disturbing side effects like severe bleeding.

    In April 2018, 56 such cases were reported in the Chicago-central Illinois area.

    “All cases have required hospitalizations for symptoms such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums,” reported the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) at the time.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Synthetic Marijuana Makes Comeback With More Disturbing Side Effect

    Synthetic Marijuana Makes Comeback With More Disturbing Side Effect

    “We are now in our eighth generation of synthetic cannabinoids and they just keep getting more powerful and unpredictable.”

    Despite a brief decline in poison center calls regarding synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice, use of the drug is back on the rise, according to the Daily Beast.

    This spring, a new, more disturbing, side effect surfaced—severe bleeding.

    About 56 such cases were reported in the Chicago-central Illinois area. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported: “All cases have required hospitalization for symptoms such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums.”

    In Philadelphia, there has been a “remarkable increase in the use of synthetic cannabinoids among IV drug users” in recent months, according to the Daily Beast.

    Some are “add[ing] hits of K2 to their daily cocktail of heroin and cocaine”; one user said “it mixes well with dope.” Another user said, “I swear some people are actually smoking [K2] instead of doing dope.”

    While the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office recorded no deaths attributed solely to synthetic cannabinoids, the city’s Episcopal Hospital reports seeing more people coming in showing signs of K2 intoxication—two to three people on average, daily.

    “We see a lot of K2 overdoses. This is really fucking nasty stuff. I mean when we come upon an overdose we just don’t know what’s in it. Sometimes they’re extremely agitated. And there’s no antidote,” said Joann Conti, a paramedic with the Philadelphia Fire Department. “So all we can do is restrain them and take them to the emergency room. I’ve intubated people after smoking this stuff who never get extubated. They live on a ventilator.”

    Treating K2 intoxication is a challenge. According to the Daily Beast, there are now at least 700 possible varieties of synthetic cannabinoids, with dozens more popping up each year.

    “We are now in our eighth generation of synthetic cannabinoids and they just keep getting more powerful and unpredictable,” said forensic narcotics expert David Leff. “You have no idea what you’re actually consuming. These are substances that have never been tested on humans.”

    Given the huge variety, there is no standard for treating K2 intoxication.

    “All we can really do is treat their symptoms and release them. Very little is known about these substances, so we have no idea what they ingested or what the long-term consequences could be,” said Dr. Edward Fishkin, chief medical officer of Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in Brooklyn, New York, where more than a dozen people were hospitalized in one night in May, K2 being the chief suspect.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • CDC Warns of Blood-Thinning Synthetic Marijuana Strain

    CDC Warns of Blood-Thinning Synthetic Marijuana Strain

    The strain can lead to “unexplained bleeding such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, bloody nose and bleeding gums.”

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning about the dangers of a certain strain of synthetic marijuana.

    The synthetic marijuana, the CDC says, is covered in a powder form of rodenticide called brodifacoum.

    “It’s like what you buy at the store to kill rats underneath your house,” Katie Seely of the Arkansas Department of Health Public Health Lab told THV11.

    According to the CDC, the strain can lead to “unexplained bleeding such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, bloody nose and bleeding gums.”

    When ingested by humans, brodifacoum will thin the blood. “We have seen teenagers with heart attacks. We’ve seen coma, we’ve seen death. We’ve seen renal failure. So it runs the gambit,” Seely told THV11. 

    Seely also said that even calling the synthetic strain marijuana is misleading. “The synthetic cannabinoids are a lot more potent and a lot more dangerous in general than the marijuana is,” Seely said.

    While brodifacoum is the same type of drug sometimes prescribed by doctors, it’s dangerous when taken if not needed. “Brodifacoum is the same type of drug as warfarin and coumadin, which a lot of people take as blood thinners if they’ve had some heart conditions,” Seely said. “But that is monitored by a physician and it has to be monitored very closely.”

    The Arkansas Department of Health states that if a person has ingested this strain of synthetic marijuana and then gets in some type of accident, their blood may not coagulate correctly, which can be fatal. 

    “We don’t ever want to scare parents,” Seely said. “The synthetic cannabinoids have been around for a while, and unfortunately, they’re not going to go away. It’s one of those things, just know what your kids are up to.”

    This strain of synthetic marijuana isn’t the only one to be aware of.

    On May 19, more than a dozen people in Brooklyn, New York were taken to the hospital after taking what authorities believe to be a toxic batch of the synthetic drug “Spice” or “K2” which is made to imitate (poorly) the effects of THC in marijuana. 

    According to the New York Times, a witness says the effects were immediate. 

    “They would take two puffs and bam, they’d drop right there,” she said. “People just started falling to the ground. Right here, there were three strewn on the sidewalk. Over there, two more. The medics were here working until 9 pm.”

    Despite some being found unconscious and having difficulty breathing, all those hospitalized are expected to survive. They were all treated with the opioid overdose antidote naloxone. 

    While synthetic cannabinoids are banned in nearly all U.S. states, the New York Times notes, it is still a struggle to eradicate them, as what they are made up of is always changing.

    “These are synthetic drugs that are manufactured with remarkable creativity such that lawmakers are facing challenges in keeping ahead,” Eugene O’Donnell, a former NYPD police officer and professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, told the Times. “Restricting access to one ingredient touches off a search for a replacement. If you can whip up an intoxicating or stimulating substance readily and legally available, you can avoid prosecution.”

    View the original article at thefix.com