Synthetic pot sickens hundreds, officials say
HARTFORD, Conn. — A huge spike in hospitalizations last month caused by a class of drugs often called “synthetic marijuana” illustrates the potency and dangers of the chemicals used to make them and the shifty tactics authorities believe manufacturers are using to evade regulation.
Poison control centres around the U.S. reported 359 cases in January of illnesses from synthetic cannabinoids, which mimic the effects of the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana but can be far more potent. There were 273 cases in February and 269 in March. But the number skyrocketed to more than 1,500 in April, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
“This is the worst outbreak of drug abuse that I’ve lived through,” said Dr. Steven Marcus, executive director of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System at the New Jersey Medical School at Rutgers University, who has been monitoring the recent spike.
“It’s almost as if someone had made a witches’ brew of these cannabinoids. This is really dangerous stuff that has effects that can be life-threatening.”
A potential common link in last month’s spike is a compound called MAB-CHMINACA, Marcus told The Associated Press in an interview. The compound was found during tests of synthetic marijuana seized by police.
MAB-CHMINACA is relatively new and hasn’t been banned in many states or by the federal government. A similar compound, AB-CHMINACA, emerged in the illicit drug market last year and was declared an illegal controlled substance in January under a temporary order by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The DEA says a major problem has been chemical makers, including many in Asia, slightly changing chemical compounds so they’re no longer banned controlled substances.
Synthetic marijuana usually is non-marijuana plant material sprayed with cannabinoids and marketed under brand names like Spice, K2 and Scooby Snax. It emerged in the U.S. around 2008 and became readily available in small retail outlets like convenience stores and head shops, as well as on the Internet, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
It generally costs about $30 US per three-gram package, similar to marijuana. Many brands list “not for consumption” on the small packages in an apparent attempt to avoid regulation, authorities say.
It became popular because it was easy to buy, people wrongly thought was harmless and its chemicals aren’t detected on standard drug tests, the National Institute on Drug Abuse says. But it can be more potent than regular marijuana and can cause vomiting, seizures, hallucinations, elevated blood pressure, loss of consciousness and death, health officials say.
This week in the Willimantic, Conn., area, about a dozen people became ill and five were hospitalized after taking K2 believed to be laced with the hallucinogen PCP, police said. The five have been discharged.
Willimantic police began receiving calls Monday morning of people exhibiting psychotic behaviour after smoking the drug. Health officials and police believe “tweaked” formulas may be responsible for the rash of hospitalizations.