More than 40 masses in the Tampa Bay area have been hospitalize with knockout bleeding after smoke synthetic cannabis production that may have been laced with dirty dog toxicant . Cases have been increasing over the past few weeks , and two patients have now died , Gizmodoreports . While there is some confusion as to incisively what the drug have been spiked with for cause such awful side - effect , Alfred Aleguas , co - managing director at the Tampa Florida Poison Control Information Center , told10 Tampa Baythat some samples appear to be “ contaminate with rodenticide . ”Often referred to asSpiceor K2 , synthetical cannabis usually consists of herbs that have been spray with chemicals that mime the effects of innate cannabinoids . While these products are not illegal in some states , they are not in good order regulated and are therefore capable to contamination or poor quality control . In the past times , drugs in this class have been linked to psychosis and addiction , as well as an alarming outbreak ofsevere bleedingthat began in Illinois in 2018 and conk on to affect 324 people across 11 states , lead in eight deaths . In that instance , the tainted drug were found to contain a type of rat poison call brodifacoum , which bottle up blood clabber by eat the body ’s vitamin K reservation . In an consultation withNews Channel 8 , Aleguesexplained that“if you pass to swerve yourself sliver , then you know how that would usually clot in a moment or two ? [ if you ingest brodifacoum ] it would leech for hours . ”Sadly , the same anticoagulant stinker poison appear to be linked to the current outbreak , which is yet to diffuse beyond the Hillsborough County expanse . victim presenting at emergency rooms across the county have displayed symptoms such as heavy epistaxis , excessive menstrual hemorrhage and blood in their pee or stool . While it ’s unclear exactly how the rat poison found its way into these products or whether the contaminant was calculated , it is thought that some drug dealers choose to lace substances with rodenticides in an endeavor to increase the potency and prolong the outcome of their merchandise . Florida Poison Control has deployed expert toxicologist to assist in hospitals deal with affected patient role , most of whom are being treated with a line of vitamin K. Recovery , however , can be a lengthy mental process lasting for several months , and local health officials are advising anyone showing symptom to adjoin the exigency avail like a shot .