A new report has revealed a dramatic increase in adverse effects associated with the use of synthetic marijuana.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported between January and May 2015, poison centers in 48 states reported receiving 3,572 calls related to synthetic cannabinoid use. These numbers represent a 229 percent increase in these types of events from the previous year, which saw only 1,085 calls. The 2015 numbers also reveal a spike in calls in the month of April, and 15 reported deaths; this is a three-fold increase compared to the five deaths reported in 2015.
Synthetic marijuana often contains a cocktail of psychoactive chemicals that are sprayed onto plant material. These potentially dangerous products are sold under names such as "synthetic marijuana, spice, K2, black mamba, and crazy clown."
The most commonly reported adverse effects associated with synthetic cannabinoid use are: "agitation, tachycardia, drowsiness or lethargy, vomiting, and confusion."
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is concerned about the rapid increase in poison center calls about synthetic cannabinoids and adverse health effects reported, suggesting a need for enhanced efforts to remove these products from the marketplace. People who have these products in their home are encouraged to dispose of them in a trash can that is not accessible to pets," the CDC stated.
The findings were published in the June 12, 2015, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).