Synthetic pot with rat poison linked to illnesses

Health officials in Milwaukee issued an alert Friday after two people were hospitalized after using synthetic marijua- na.

The City of Milwaukee Health Department said that since Thursday, there had been two confirmed cases and one probable case of an illness that can cause “severe bleeding, unexplained bruising and possible death.”

Besides the two confirmed cases in Milwaukee, there is another confirmed case in Dane County, state health officials said.

Synthetic marijuana goes by different names, including K2, spice and fake weed, Black Mamba, Green Giant, Bombay Genie and Zohai, the Health Department said.

Since March 7, Illinois health officials received reports of 146 cases, including three deaths, linked to an outbreak caused by synthetic cannabinoids in the Chicago area and central Illinois.

According to the Milwaukee Health Department, the synthetic products are found in convenience stores, gas stations, drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores and online.

“K2 consists of a lot different mind-altering chemicals that are made and sprayed on dried plant material or sold as liquids to be inhaled in products like e-cigarettes or other vaping devices,” the health department said.

The department urges people to call 911 or go to an emergency room if they or someone they know are experiencing a serious reaction to synthetic cannabinoids.

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health and MHD said health care providers should report those who have a serious reaction to synthetic cannabinoids to their local health department.

Jon Meiman, chief medical officer with Wisconsin Division of Public Health, said that what sets the outbreak apart “is the association with severe bleeding.”

“In the cases in Illinois and Wisconsin, it has been found they have rat poison in their blood,” he said.

“What’s particularly concerning about this particular poison is we don’t know why it’s in these drugs or how it got there,” he said. “The type of bleeding it causes can be severe and does require treatment for weeks or months.”