Investigators are warning Berks County residents of a bad batch of synthetic marijuana that may have sent about 50 patients to the hospital within the past month.
According to doctors at Reading Hospital, dozens of patients who they believe ingested K2 have come in to the emergency room acting erratic and deranged. In some cases they were even near death, according to doctors.
“Most are agitated, belligerent, psychotic, hallucinating and very difficult to control,” said Dr. Charles Barbera.
K2 or Spice is a synthetic marijuana that mimics the hallucinogenic effects that occur when smoking traditional marijuana. It does not contain THC (the chemical used in marijuana) but it does contain a compound, often referred to as a synthetic cannabinoid, that has the same effects as THC.
K2 is currently legal in Pennsylvania though a bill has been proposed to make it illegal. It’s sold as herbal incense with instructions saying it is not to be used for human consumption, however, it is often smoked like traditional marijuana.
“It’s actually very dangerous,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams. “If you ingest K2, you have no idea what you’re ingesting.”
Adams told NBC10 his office is searching for the source of the bad batch and believes it’s coming from a common dealer. They also believe the synthetic pot was sprayed with other chemicals.
“We have reason to believe that maybe some of the K2 on our streets was laced with heroin,” Adams said.
Doctors told NBC10 they want families to keep an eye out for signs of the K2. So far most of the patients have been teenagers though the oldest victim was in their 20’s.
“It’s not worth trying,” Dr. Barbera said. “It’s dangerous. People have almost lost their lives because of it.”
