SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (KWQC) – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reports an individual has died after experiencing severe bleeding from using synthetic cannabinoids, often called spice, K2, or fake weed.
To date, IDPH has received 38 reports of people in the Chicago area and central Illinois who have experienced severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids. Each of those cases has required hospital visits with symptoms like coughing up blood, blood in urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums. In a press release, IDPH reports, “Three of these cases have tested positive for brodifacoum, a lethal anticoagulant often used as a rodenticide, or rat poison.”
“Synthetic cannabinoids are unsafe. They can contain a variety of chemicals, and users often don’t know what those are, such as rat poison,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. “Despite the perception that synthetic cannabinoids are a safe alternative to marijuana, they can cause very severe illness.”
Synthetic cannabinoids are man-made and mind-altering chemicals that can be smoked after being sprayed on dried plant material. The human-made drugs can also be sold as liquids to be used in e-cigarettes or other devices. The drugs are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. IDPH reports synthetic cannabinoids can have unpredictable, harmful, and deadly reactions when taken.
IDPH reports, “Anyone who has a reaction to synthetic cannabinoids should call 911 or have someone take them to the emergency department immediately.”
credit:kwqc.com
