Growing use of synthetic marijuana cannabinoids is to blame for a 229% increase in suspected poisonings earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today. Between January and May 2015, U.S. poison centers in 48 states reported receiving 3,572 calls related to synthetic cannabinoid use, compared to about 1,085 calls during the same time period in 2014. The 2015 figures included a spike of 1,501 calls in April, and 15 reported deaths, a three-fold increase over the five deaths reported in 2014. Synthetic cannabinoids include a range of psychoactive chemicals that are sprayed onto plant material, and then smoked or ingested. The findings suggest that synthetic cannabinoids “pose an emerging public threat … and a need for greater public health surveillance and awareness, targeted public health messaging, and enhanced efforts to remove these products from the market,” the report said. 

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA has elected nine new members to its Board of Trustees for three-year terms beginning Jan. 1. The incoming members are: Debra Albert, chief nursing…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 7 launched a new webpage, Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes, featuring new and familiar resources for members and their communities. As part…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 7 filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court in defense of states’ affidavit of merit requirements in federal court, which require plaintiffs to…
Headline
The Food and Drug Administration Aug. 7 announced a new program to help improve the domestic pharmaceutical supply chain by increasing regulatory…
Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services Aug. 7 announced it will no longer fund mRNA vaccine development under the Biomedical Advanced Research and…
Headline
A new analysis published Aug. 6 by the Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF found that Health Insurance Marketplace insurers will propose a median premium…