Outbreak of Bleeding Conditions Linked to Synthetic Cannabinoids Spreads to Nine States

​An outbreak of unexplained bleeding associated with synthetic cannabinoids has spread to four more states and more than doubled the number of affected patients since an initial alert was issued in April, according to a May 25, 2018, update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the initial report (see the April 30, 2018, Physician Practice E-News), CDC reported 94 incidents mostly concentrated in Illinois, with additional cases in Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin. In the recent update, CDC states that 202 cases have been reported, including cases in Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Virginia as well as the five states previously reported. CDC warns that the synthetic cannabinoid products associated with this outbreak contained rat poison.