Queensland man dies from suspected synthetic cannabis poisoning

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Cannabis joint
Some synthetic cannabinoids have been linked to serious health problems. Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

A man has died and another is critically ill after suspected poisoning from a batch of synthetic cannabis.

The 33-year-old man died on Tuesday, while the 41-year-old man is fighting for his life in a hospital.

Both incidents occurred in Mackay, in central Queensland, where police said several people had recently ended up in hospital because of the drug.

Detective Acting Inspector Sam Bliss said the drug was not legal despite its availability over the internet and in suburban shops.

“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.”

Investigations into the death are continuing.

Researchers could not keep up with the speed with which synthetic cannabinoids were being developed, Richard Kevin, a University of Sydney PhD student, said.

“Even when a specific synthetic drug is outlawed … the molecular structure can often be tweaked slightly so that the new compound falls outside of existing legislation,” he said.

“This results in a large variety of synthetic cannabinoids with largely unknown toxicity.”

Kevin said some synthetic cannabinoids have been linked to serious health problems including acute kidney injury, panic attacks and seizures.

“Using a synthetic product is a lot like picking up a random pill off the ground,” he said. “You can’t know exactly what you’re getting, so you’re taking a big risk.”