K2 USE ON THE RISE IN BRAZOS COUNTY
ER’s in the Brazos Valley have seen a rise in visits to the emergency room due a rise in the use of the drug K2.
In the past two months, twenty people have report to the emergency rooms. One has died.
St. Joseph ER doctor Aaron Buzzard says the patients coming in average around 22 years of age. He believes these cases may have stem from a very bad batch of the homemade drug.
K2 spice is a dried and shredded plant material with chemical additives made to mimic the effects of THC, the active chemical ingredient in marijuana that causes hallucinations. Most of it is home made in home labs, with a mixture of all kinds of chemicals that cause users to become very agitated and almost psychotic, and in some cases may cause severe respiratory depression.
In the early 2000’s K-2 originally was sold legally in in many smoke shops and convenience stores.
During the past 72 hours, law enforcement and hospitals have seen an influx of patients suffering from drug-related overdoses, and since the evening hours of November 5th, approximately two dozen known cases have been reported in the local area.
Symptoms of the illegal use of these substances include:
Delusions, hallucinations
- Hyperactivity
- Combativeness
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
While the use and possession of these substances is illegal, local law enforcement is making this advisory in an effort to prevent further illness or harm to any person.
For further information, contact the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6246a7.htm