Texas Providers Concerned as Synthetic Marijuana Cases Continue to Rise

June 18--After each patient suffering from toxic reactions to synthetic marijuana arrives to the emergency room at University Medical Center Brackenridge, medical personnel walk up to a whiteboard that hangs above stretchers and draw a new line with a marker.

On this board, they are keeping the tally of cases involving synthetic marijuana, commonly known as K2 or "Spice."

"When we began to notice many of the same symptoms, we began to keep track," said Elizabeth Oehler, a physician at Brackenridge.

The number of people sickened by K2 continues to increase by the hour, officials said, and unlike other spates of adverse reactions, this round has lasted nearly a month.

Since May 29, medical professionals in Austin have seen more than 200 cases of people sickened by the drug. The number could be even higher because some patients can be diagnosed after they arrive, hospital officials said.

Just at Brackenridge, 104 people were brought by paramedics between May 24 and June 16. Since Tuesday, the hospital has seen at least 18 new cases.

K2 is designed to mimic the effects of marijuana and usually causes aggressive behavior, something the medical staff must deal with on a regular basis.

Last week, a 24-year-old man being treated for K2 grabbed a nurse's arm and would not release her, an arrest warrant affidavit show.

The nurse was placing leads on Christopher Franklin's chest to monitor his heart when he grabbed her right forearm and squeezed it tightly approximately five to 10 seconds, the affidavit said. Franklin is facing a charge of assault with injury to emergency personnel and is currently in custody with a bail set at $10,000.

But medics are concerned this recent round of reactions has included other dangerous symptoms. Oehler has noticed some patients arrive feeling drowsy and acting like they have consumed anti-depressants.

"Our main concern is to get the word out that synthetic marijuana is dangerous, it's unpredictable," Oehler said.

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