A total of 94 people -- 89 in Illinois, two in Indiana and one each in Maryland, Missouri and Wisconsin -- were seen in emergency departments with heavy bleeding between March 10 and April 5, according to the CDC outbreak alert.
Both of the fatalities occurred in Illinois. Interviews with 63 of the Illinois patients revealed that all had used synthetic cannabinoids.
Synthetic cannabinoids are mind-altering chemicals that are made in a lab and sold either sprayed on shredded plant material so it can be smoked like marijuana or as liquid that can be vaporized in e-cigarettes. "Fake weed" products are marketed in shiny packages with hundreds of brand names, including Spice, K2, Joker, Black Mamba, Kush and Kronic.
At least three product samples in the latest outbreak tested positive for brodifacoum -- rat poison -- and further laboratory tests confirmed this exposure in at least 18 of the Illinois patients.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.