Fake Pot Sickens 150 in Denver, CDC Called In | High Times
Last Monday a five-person team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived in Denver to investigate 150 people who are believed to have been sickened by synthetic marijuana in Colorado.
Even though state and federal investigators have still not identified the exact source of the illnesses, they have named about a dozen illicit products, often sold as "incense," that it believes are responsible for at least some of the issues. Beware of names like "Spice," "Crazy Clown" and "Dead Man Walking."
Denver hospital emergency departments across the state are reporting victims coming in with "agitation and delirium, confusion," says Dr. Tista Ghosh, Colorado's acting chief medical officer. Some have acted very aggressively toward staff and required restraints. "We're also seeing unresponsiveness, extreme sleepiness, seizures." Several people have required treatment in intensive care units.
About 1 in 5 of those hospitalized in Colorado appeared to be teenagers. Forty-four percent were 20-29 years old, based on 58 cases investigators have reviewed.
As reported in HIGH TIMES, the CDC says it's aware of clusters of similar illnesses in Georgia and Oregon but is not actively involved in investigating them. Recent media reports say synthetic marijuana is suspected in illnesses and at least one death in Alabama and Oklahoma.
The moral of the story? Smoke real flowers only please, and stay safe out there
