Cluster of Acute Toxicity from Ingestion of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Laced Brownies.
Adebisi I Obafemi, Kurt Kleinschmidt, Collin Goto, Drew Fout
Journal of Medical Toxicology December 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s13181-015-0482-z (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Patients who ingested brownies laced with synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist AM-2201 |
| Duration | Within 10 hours of exposure |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Acute toxicity Novel psychoactive substance Tachycardia |
| Key findings | Oral exposure to brownies laced with AM-2201 caused neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular symptoms that resolved within hours. |
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are emerging designer drugs of abuse. Most reports on the health effects of these drugs are case reports. Unlike SCRAs, marijuana has classically been used via many routes of exposure including oral, such as in brownies. We report on 11 symptomatic patients who unknowingly ingested brownies laced with analytically confirmed SCRA and presented with mostly neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular symptoms. All 11 patients were taken to the ED within 1 h of exposure with the onset of various symptoms. There were five males and six females, age range 20-57 years. Neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular symptoms predominated: memory impairment (91 %, 10/11) and inappropriate giggling (36 %, 4/11). All the patients had light-headedness, perioral and facial numbness and tingling sensation, dry mouth, difficulty focusing/blurring of vision, and sluggishness. No patient had depressed consciousness. Two patients had heart rates >100, and 4 of 11 (36 %) had BP >140/80. One patient had chest pain. All the symptoms were completely resolved 4 h following their onset except two patients who had ongoing weakness and fatigue. All patients had negative urine drugs of abuse immunoassays and ethanol, acetaminophen, and salicylate concentrations, as well as normal electrocardiograms (ECGS) and metabolic panels. The SCRA was confirmed to be AM-2201. All the patients were discharged from the ED in stable condition within 10 h of the exposure. Oral exposure of 11 patients to brownies laced with analytically confirmed SCRA resulted in neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular symptoms. This series reflects that like marijuana, oral exposures to SCRAs can lead to symptoms.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychotic Reactions Following Cannabis Use in East Indians Patients at an Indian drug addiction clinic who developed acute cannabis-related psychosis | 1974 | Descriptive report (case series of clinical observations) | n = 200 |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis use Swedish cases of cannabis psychosis | 1985 | Case series | n = 70 |
| Forty-Six Cases of Psychosis in Cannabis Abusers Gunila Bernhardson Habitual cannabis users treated for psychosis at Swedish psychiatric clinics and mental... | 1972 | Case series (retrospective survey of psychiatric records) | n = 46 |
| Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder after psilocybin consumption: a case study 18-year-old man with HPPD after mixed psilocybin and cannabis intoxication | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Cannabis‐induced Koro in Americans American men aged 22-26 with years of cannabis experience who reported negative... | 2001 | Case series | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Unintentional ingestion of psychoactive cannabis products among adults: A scoping review. The American Journal of Medicine June 2026
- The synthetic cannabinoids menace: a review of health risks and toxicity European journal of medical research January 12, 2024
- The synthetic cannabinoids phenomenon: from structure to toxicological properties. A review Critical Reviews in Toxicology May 27, 2020
- The Chemistry and Pharmacology of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists as New Psychoactive Substances: Origins. Handbook of experimental pharmacology 2018
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