One dead, another on life support after suspected synthetic cannabis poisoning
By Josh Bavas
Updated 56 minutes agoWed 14 Jan 2015, 4:05pm
A 33-year-old man has died and several others have fallen ill with suspected poisoning from a batch of synthetic cannabis in the north Queensland city of Mackay.
Police said a 41-year-old man was in Mackay Base Hospital on life support and several others had been hospitalised after using the synthetic drug.
Officers are investigating where the substance came from and if it is the source of the poisoning.
Synthetic cannabis is a psychoactive substance designed to mimic or produce similar effects to cannabis.
ABC Tropical North reported in November that the Mackay hospital had seen an escalated trend in the number of patients being treated for synthetic drug-related illnesses.
Dr David Farlow from the hospital warned of the dangers of using synthetic drugs.
"People need to be cautious about consuming these products where the ingredients are unknown," he said.
"These drugs pose a major risk to an individual's physical and mental health and the community."
Detective Acting Inspector Sam Bliss said the ability to buy materials over the internet or in suburban shops did not make their possession legal in Queensland, nor did it make them safe to consume.
"The chemical compounds found in these drugs are dangerous and are not herbal or natural alternatives to 'real drugs'," he said.
"They contain synthetic compounds which are toxic and extremely dangerous.
"Offences exist for possessing, producing, supplying and or trafficking in dangerous drugs, which includes so-called synthetic products containing these substances."
Detective Acting Inspector Bliss said police were investigating the death of the 33-year-old man on Tuesday, as well as the circumstances surrounding an earlier admission to hospital of the 41-year-old man.
