Synthetic marijuana a threat, state warns

More than 125 people have been taken to emergency rooms in Lancaster County in the past few days with overdoses attributed to K2 synthetic marijuana, according to a news release from the governor’s office, which says the threat has the potential to spread to other areas.

“Synthetic marijuana is a man-made mind-altering chemical, that isn’t marijuana at all but made to mirror its effects,” said Jennifer Smith, acting secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs. “It can have a much more powerful effecton the brain than chemicals found in the marijuana plant. The chemicals in them are often unknown, dangerous and deadly.”

Rachel Levine, the acting secretary of health and physician general, noted that treating overdoses from such drugs is “especially difficult because we don’t know what chemicals or other drugs were used to make them.”

Naloxone, which can revive people overdosing on opioids, has no effect in reversing overdoses from K2 or other synthetic drugs, she said. Dr. Levine said the state is notifying first responders and emergency rooms across the state.

According to the press release, the effects of synthetic marijuana can include delusional or disordered thinking, violent behavior, rapid heart rate, nausea and vomiting, suicidal thoughts, seizures, paranoia, hallucinations and psychotic episodes.