Synthetic Drug 'K2' Causes More Than 50 Overdoses In Hennepin County

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents about the dangers of K2, an illegal synthetic drug that is believed to be the cause of more than 50 non-fatal overdoses in the county. K2, also known as “spice,” is a synthetic marijuana designed to mimic the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol, an ingredient in naturally grown marijuana plants.

Users of synthetic marijuana report effects such as extreme anxiety, paranoia, and hallucination. Recent overdose victims have often been in an agitated state, according to authorities.

"Fortunately we have not experienced any deaths due to this recent series of K2 overdoses. 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," said Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek in a statement. "Last year we experienced 153 opioid-related deaths in the county, so it is pretty frightening when you think about more than 50 overdoses occurring in less than 2 weeks."

Synthetic cannabinoids have been illegal in Minnesota since 2014 and are considered a schedule one narcotic by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to state law, possession of more than 42.5 grams of a synthetic cannabinoid is considered intent to sell and is a felony. Possession of less than 42.5 grams of a synthetic cannabinoid is a misdemeanor, according to a news release.

In an email to Patch, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said they're still investigating where the illegal supply of K2 is coming from, but according to the DEA, the vast majority of synthetic cannabinoids are manufactured in Asia without manufacturing requirements or quality control standards. The bulk products are smuggled into the United States typically as misbranded imports and have no legitimate medical or industrial use.

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Several local and federal law enforcement agencies are a part of the investigation into the recent overdoses in Hennepin County. For more information on synthetic marijuana, click here.

Photo credit: AP Photo/Kelley McCall, File