New FDA warnings target synthetic marijuana laced with rat poison
The new anti-drug message should be upgraded to: “Just say Hell no!”
Last April, we reported that 2 people in Illinois had died after using synthetic marijuana laced with rat poison. Additionally, 54 other users were hospitalized with severe bleeding.
The problem has now spread to 10 states, and public officials are now issuing warnings to avoid all forms of the drug.
In a public health alert released Thursday, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and two other high-ranking agency officials warned the public to avoid any version of synthetic marijuana.
“We’re joining together to send a strong warning to anyone who may use synthetic marijuana products that these products can be especially dangerous as a result of the seemingly deliberate use of brodifacoum in these illegal products,” the FDA officials’ statement said.
The FDA officials said there’s “significant public health concern” for people who smoke synthetic marijuana and the U.S. blood supply. At least three people in Illinois donated blood before they were hospitalized for using tainted synthetic marijuana, according to an earlier Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clinical alert.
Officials would do well to spread the message via video. A video released in March warns of the hazards associated with “synnies”, with users describing the horrific effects experienced after consuming the drugs.
The new anti-drug message should be upgraded to: “Just say Hell no!”
D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences Director Dr. Jenifer Smith explains why the latest version of synthetic marijuana is so hazardous.
“These synthetic cannabinoids change,” she said. “People create new versions of them for different reasons and that is why having the capability to always be able to see what is actually in the original material is important because then we can share that information with other scientists or other departments who may need that information to do their testing.”
There have been 100 overdose patients transported to the hospital in D.C. during the past four days with symptoms related to synthetic marijuana.
Medics transported about 10 people on Wednesday, including four people who were found unconscious near the CCNV homeless shelter in Northwest D.C., according to D.C. Fire and EMS.
The medical examiner’s office is investigating several deaths that are suspected of being overdoses caused from this synthetic drug, but toxicology tests will be conducted in order to confirm that.
As there is no standardized packaging or warning label for synthetic marijuana, officials urge everyone to avoid using it altogether. As Oregon is experiencing a glut of farm-grown weed, there appears to be plenty of the natural material available.
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Comments
natural selection is a wonderful thing…
wish i could up-vote you more than once
What are you, a democrat?
It sure is.
Addiction is a symptom of PTSD. Look it up.
Dr. Lonny Shavelson found that 70% of female heroin addicts were sexually abused in childhood.
As were 90% of strippers. But, that is just an explanation, it is NOT an excuse. Being a victim does not equate to a lifelong get out of jail free card.
Wait, weren’t we told that legalizing marijuana would eliminate these kinds of problems?
And in what States are these substances most prevalent?
The excerpt doesn’t say.
Care to take a guess?
High taxes on legal cannabis also has an effect. As do high taxes on tobacco.
Prohibition can not work for guns and does not work for drugs.
I wish I could buy some of that to kill rats!
You can by purchasing D-Con or Warfarin blood thinner
It’ll take care of them Norwegian roof rats too 
Stupid people will smoke or huff anything.
Apologies for the big finger down vote
an air rifle or pellet pistol w*rks faster, is more reliable, and doesn’t cause problems for predators who hunt rats.
Doctors sell it as blood thinner.
Let’s all chip in an buy Maxine Water’s feces-throwing jail bird army a few pounds.
They call it ‘bug juice.’ They can keister it, dispensing (probably sell it to fellow jail birds.)
If Trump keeps another of his campaign promises and stops legal pot, we can get more of them to take it. Only stupid liberals take this stuff.
In WV they are smart enough to stick to legal drugs like Oxycontin. The profits stay in this country and support the people we like.
There is now a huge market in knock-off prescription opioids, taking full advantage of the brand recognition offered by big Pharma. There is also concern that the knock-offs may enter into the legitimate stream, leading to under dosing in those with a legitimate need. If there is a niche for money to be made, it WILL be exploited.
I know that Oregon has a glut as a local shop has adjacent signs which say $90/oz and $10/eighths. And they dare to say that smoking weed makes you stupid.