One death and 45 other cases of severe bleeding tied to synthetic cannabinoids in Illinois

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/02/healt...-bn/index.html

One death and 45 other cases of severe bleeding tied to fake weed in Illinois
By Jacqueline Howard and Marlena Baldacci, CNN
Updated 2:31 PM ET, Mon April 2, 2018

(CNN)Synthetic cannabinoids -- often called Spice, K2 or fake weed -- have been tied to 46 cases of severe bleeding, including one death, across Chicago and areas in central Illinois.

All of the cases required hospitalization related to coughing up blood, blood in the urine, bloody nose, bleeding gums and other symptoms. Three cases tested positive for brodifacoum, or rat poison, according to a statement from the Illinois Department of Public Health on Saturday.

Now, state officials are working to identify any common synthetic cannabinoid products related to those cases and to determine where the products were obtained...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180407/...al-experts-say

Bleeding from synthetic cannabis outbreak unusual, experts say
By Elvia Malagon of The Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Posted at 9:37 AM

Synthetic cannabis for years was sold under the guise of a cheaper alternative that allows users to dodge drug screenings.

And while there have been rashes of hospitalizations nationwide involving those who?ve ingested the drug, experts say they?ve never seen the severe side effects ? internal bleeding in particular ? that have killed at least two and sickened dozens in the Chicago area and central Illinois in the past month. Investigators say that while users have been smoking different brands of the synthetic cannabis, the common ingredient that may be leaving people ill is rat poisoning.

The problems are the result of a cat-and-mouse game playing out among government entities passing laws to ban synthetic cannabis products and manufacturers tweaking their recipes to keep the drug on the market ? and money in their pockets, experts say...