TAMPA, Fla. — At least two people are dead and 41 are hospitalized in Florida after using “spice,” also known as synthetic marijuana, officials said.
According to WFTS and WTVT, the Florida Poison Information Center in Tampa said the patients, who are mostly in Hillsborough County, suffered severe bleeding after using the illegal drug, which contains dried plant material and manmade chemicals.
“So if you can’t clot, you can bleed and have life-threatening bleeding, and there could be death associated with this,” she said.
Alexandra Funk, the center’s co-managing director, told WFTS that officials believe the drug may be contaminated with a substance that impedes the body’s ability to clot.
The Florida Department of Health is investigating the illnesses, according to the news outlets.
Although spice is sometimes called “fake weed,” it is not marijuana or THC, the Poison Information Center said in a Facebook post. Other street names for the drug include “Black Mamba,” “Bliss” and “K-2.”
“If you or someone you know has recently used spice and are experiencing serious side effects, including severe bleeding, go to the nearest emergency room immediately,” the post read.