Man Dies From Fake Weed, Rat Poison At Oak Lawn Motel: Cops

OAK LAWN, IL -- A 22-year-old Chicago man died of what appears to be severe bleeding caused by synthetic cannabinoids laced with rat poison containing a lethal anticoagulant. Oak Lawn police said the man had recently admitted to family members that he had smoked synthetic marijuana in the days leading up to his death. His name is being withheld pending the results of the toxicology report.

The Oak Lawn Police Department were called to the Miami Motel at 9041 S. Cicero Ave. on March 28, after the man was found having a seizure and vomiting. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was later pronounced dead. The cause of death is pending, but the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said the deadly anticoagulant Brodifacoum and excessive internal bleeding were discovered during the autopsy.

“Brodifacoum is a highly lethal rodenticide and should not be consumed,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar said.

According to Dr. Arunkumar, rat poison impairs blood clotting in humans and can cause fatal gastrointestinal and intracerebral hemorrhage.Brodifacoum has recently been associated with hospitalizations and deaths in the Chicago area and around Illinois related to the use of synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice.

The Oak Lawn Police Department is warning people to stay away from these products and to
seek medical attention if they have been used synthetic cannabinoids. The effects can take days or even weeks to manifest and for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include coughing up blood, finding blood in their urine or bleeding from their noses, gums or eyes.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported at least two other deaths in Kane County and Peoria related to synthetic cannabis and severe bleeding. As of Friday, IDPH said 95 people have been hospitalized due to severe bleeding after using fake weed.

Photo by Lorraine Swanson | Patch Editor