Health Dept. warns of severe bleeding from fake weed

The Chicago Tribune reported several of the bleeding cases were centered around Chicago and the Cook County area.

"Synthetic cannabinoids have become popular because users often believe that it's legal and safe, but that's just not the case", department spokeswoman Melaney Arnold told NBC News. Each of those cases has required hospital visits with symptoms like coughing up blood, blood in urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums. "Very severe bleeding that's prompting them to go to the emergency room". "We have seen cases increase dramatically overnight in IL and know at least one person in IN has reported severe bleeding after using synthetic cannabinoids". Those who have been hospitalized obtained the products in convenience stores, from dealers and friends, she said.

The agency is continuing to warn anyone who has used these products and starts to experience sudden, unexplained bleeding or bruising is urged to seek emergency help immediately.

IL health officials are advising anyone experiencing unexplained bleeding after using synthetic pot to go to the nearest emergency room. Researches from universities in the Netherlands and Germany found that users of synthetic marijuana were more likely to feel incapacitated, compared with regular weed, even if the high was relatively similar.

The drug can be smoked or sold as a liquid which can be vaporized in e-cigarettes. "It is hard to know what's in them or what your reaction to them will be". They also warn that any recently purchased fake weed products should not be used as the specific brands causing the unusual symptoms have not been identified. All reported using synthetic cannabinoids.

The health effects of using synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable, unsafe and possibly life-threatening because it's hard to know what's in them or how a person will be react to them.

"These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they act on the same brain cell receptors as the main active ingredient in marijuana", IDPH explained, warning that the drug's impact can be life-threatening.