SYNTHETIC CANNABINOID WARNING

[April 07, 2018]  LINCOLN -- The Logan County Department of Public Health (LCDPH) is urging people not to use synthetic cannabinoids, often called Spice, K2, or fake weed. Dozens of people in Illinois, including two who died, have experienced severe bleeding, such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums, after using synthetic cannabinoids.

Several of these cases have tested positive for brodifacoum, a lethal anticoagulant often used as a rodenticide, or rat poison. To date, no cases have been reported in Logan County.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the number of people experiencing severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids is still increasing. LCDPH will work with state and federal public health officials to try to identify common products and where it is coming from. LCDPH strongly urges everyone not to use synthetic cannabinoids.

Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made, mind-altering chemicals that are sprayed on to dried plant material. They can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized in e-cigarettes and other devices. These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. The health effects from using synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable, harmful, and deadly.

Public health officials continue to investigate to try to identify any common brand and determine where they were obtained. Synthetic cannabinoids are found across Illinois and the U.S. in convenience stores, gas stations, drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores, and online.

Anyone who has a reaction to synthetic cannabinoids, such as severe bleeding, should call 911 or have someone take them to the emergency department immediately. The number of cases and counties of residence are posted on the IDPH website at 1:30p.m. each weekday.

Information Source: Illinois Department of Public Health