State officials in Illinois are trying to trace a batch of synthetic cannabinoids — commonly called "fake weed" — that has led to one death and 45 other cases of severe bleeding in Chicago and across central Illinois. All of the cases required hospitalization, and three of the victims tested positive for rat poison, CNN reported Monday.
Synthetic cannabinoids — man-made chemicals that are similar to the mind-altering substances found in marijuana — can be up to 85 times as potent as their natural counterparts. They're sold everywhere from convenience stores to novelty shops to online, but often contain a "variety" of compounds that users might not know about, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Even though they are considered by some to be a safer alternative to marijuana, the health risks can be serious, including vomiting, seizures, hallucinations, and even heart attacks.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Magazine solutions - June 27, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - June 27, 2025
-
Magazine printables - June 27, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - June 27, 2025
-
Army commissions tech execs as officer recruitsIN THE SPOTLIGHT Some of the tech industry's most powerful players are answering the call of Uncle Sam
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrialSpeed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulderspeed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC paradespeed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museumspeed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Narco subs are helping to fuel a global cocaine surgeThe Explainer Drug smugglers are increasingly relying on underwater travel to hide from law enforcement
