The Illinois Department of Public Health says a second person has died from severe bleeding after reportedly using synthetic cannabinoids — often called Spice, K2, or fake weed. Health officials are attempting to determine where the synthetic marijuana originated that’s sickened dozens, and now killed two person.
Most of the people who’ve been treated for bleeding from the eyes, nose, and lungs after smoking fake pot are from central Illinois.
“We’re seeing severe bleeding,” said Melanie Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health. “We’ve seen some severe bloody noses, people coughing up blood, blood in the urine. This is something that we have not seen before.”
The Department of Public Health reports that 20 of the 38 people in the state who smoked a bad batch of synthetic marijuana live in Peoria, Tazewell, or McLean Counties. Most of the rest live in or around Chicago.
The state confirmed its first death from synthetic marijuana over the weekend and then confirmed a second death Monday. Melanie Arnold with IDPH said they’ve found a chemical used in rat poison in some of the victims.
“One of the chemicals that’s tested positive in three of the cases is a lethal anti-coagulant,” Arnold said. “It’s often used as a rodenticide, or in rat poison.”
The IDPH is doubling down on its warning that synthetic marijuana is not a safe alternative to marijuana.
There’s not much information about the synthetic marijuana deaths, and Arnold said there won’t be to protect the victims identities.
The next step, Arnold said, is to find out where the synthetic marijuana came from and if it’s all part of the same batch.
Arnold said that the Centers for Disease Control are sending epidemiologists to help in the investigation.
