What to Know
- The synthetic drug K2 is suspected to have caused more than 100 overdoses in the New Haven area this week
- Police said that batch was contaminated with another even more potent synthetic drug called fubinaca
- Two men have been arrested on suspicion of selling or distributing the drugs that caused the overdoses, police said
A decade after first appearing in the United States, the synthetic drug K2 is seen as a growing health danger.
Some marijuana smokers turned to it because it is relatively cheap and not detected in routine drug testing. More than 100 people in New Haven went to the hospital this week after overdosing on a batch of synthetic pot.
WHAT IS IT?
While states have moved to legalize traditional marijuana, synthetic marijuana has become a public health threat. Synthetic pot is a mind-altering drug made by taking plant material and spraying it with chemicals that can mimic the high from marijuana. It is sold under names like K2, AK47, Spice, Kush, Kronic, and Scooby Snax.
The chemicals also can also be mixed into a liquid and vaped, and even mixed into tea or food. The substances can produce some similar effects to traditional marijuana including relaxation, elevated mood and altered perception.
WHAT'S IN IT?
Authorities have detected scores of chemicals in synthetic marijuana, and say chemical composition can vary not only from product to product but from batch to batch. Police in New Haven said the batch of K2 that sickened dozens between Tuesday night and Thursday was laced with another synthetic chemical called fubinaca.
Some ingredients are banned by federal or state law. Drug dealers peddle synthetic marijuana, and police say people have been able to buy it online or in convenience stores and gas stations.
U.S. & World
Synthetic pot products are not tested for safety and people who use them don't know exactly what chemicals they're putting into their bodies. Fubinaca, for instance, is a synthetic cannabinoid estimated to be 50 to 85 times more potent than typical K2.
Earlier this year, more than 160 people in Illinois were sickened and at least four died after using synthetic marijuana tainted with rat poison.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS?
Synthetic marijuana can cause vomiting, hallucinations, seizures, rapid heartbeat and kidney damage severe enough to put users on dialysis.
It also can be addictive and has been tied to violent behavior and suicidal thoughts. And because different batches may be laced with a variety of chemicals, K2's effects on users are hard to predict.
Health officials track reports of illnesses related to synthetic marijuana through hospital emergency department visits or poison center calls. Poison centers report thousands of cases each year including nearly 8,000 in 2015. This year, as of last month, poison control centers handled about 1,300 synthetic marijuana calls.
