Illinois officials are warning the public of the potential dangers of synthetic pot that has sent multiple people to the hospital.
What are the dangers of the fake pot called K2?
Public Warning
The Illinois Department of Health is warning the public of a kind of synthetic pot that has caused severe reactions among some of its users. The agency is also currently conducting an investigation on the said "unusual cluster of cases" wherein four people were hospitalized for severe bleeding in the past two weeks.
Evidently, the first case was reported to the Illinois Poison Center last March 10, and it has since been known that the severe bleeding is due to vitamin k-deficient coagulopathy, a condition that disrupts the blood's ability to clot. However, the exact cause of the condition remains to be unknown.
As such, authorities advise the public to immediately call 911 or rush to the emergency department if they or anyone they know experience adverse effects of synthetic pot. Furthermore, if anyone experiences strange bleeding, it would be advisable to contact a healthcare provider and inform them of any synthetic pot use.
Mind Trip Drug
The synthetic pot is also known as "K2," "spice," and "Mind Trip." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic cannabinoids are not one drug. In fact, there are hundreds of such different man-made chemicals manufactured and sold each year.
They are simply called cannabinoids because they affect the same brain receptors as THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana. However, synthetic cannabinoids affect the brain in different and unpredictable ways than marijuana.
Such products may be severely harmful to health. In fact, it can affect brain function and manifest symptoms such as seizures, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, and violent behavior.
Moreover, it can also cause muscle damage, kidney failure, breathing problems, gastric problems, stroke, and heart attack. They are also considered addictive products.
Synthetic pot is illegal, and many state governments have their own laws against such substances. However, in order to work around the existing laws, some manufacturers create new products with different ingredients.
Also, as there is no regulation on the product, two similar-looking packs of synthetic pot may have completely different ingredients.
It's actually rather easy to purchase synthetic pot, as they can be easily bought in convenience stores or from online stores which market the product as a natural product. It, perhaps, adds to the dangers of such products as it can be marketed as an alternative to marijuana even if it is man-made and has different effects.
