Hennepin County officials believe synthetic marijuana has caused more than 50 non-fatal overdoses there in less than two weeks.
The Hennepin County sheriff’s office issued an alert Thursday warning the public about the dangers of the drug, which has been illegal in Minnesota since 2014 and is listed as a Schedule 1 narcotic by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Also known as K2, synthetic marijuana is designed to mimic the effects of THC, the active ingredient in naturally grown marijuana plants, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. It can produce anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations in users.
“Fortunately we have not experienced any deaths due to this recent series of K2 overdoses,” Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said in the news release. “The quick actions of first responders and proper medical care at area hospitals has no doubt played a role making sure these victims are ok.”
Local and federal law enforcement agencies are investigating the recent overdoses.
Spokesmen for the St. Paul police and fire departments said they were not aware of recent K2 overdoses in the city, though there was a rash of cases here earlier this year.