Nationwide, more than 1,000 reports of adverse reactions to spice — a synthetic marijuana-like substance — have been made to state poison control centers in the first three weeks of April, according to The New York Times.
The spice-related hospitalizations and poison control calls in April alone more than double the number of adverse effects reported in January, February and March, combined.
Already, health departments in New York, Mississippi and Alabama have issued alerts about the rash of spice-related hospitalizations. Spikes in spice-related cases have also been reported in Arizona, Florida, New Jersey and Texas, according to the report.
Although the total number of spice-related fatalities nationwide for this year is not yet available, one person has died in Louisiana and two more are in intensive care.
Mark Ryan, PharmD, the director of the Louisiana Poison Center told The New York Times that one hospital in the Baton Rouge area saw more than 110 cases in February alone.
"That's a huge spike," said Dr. Ryan said. "There's a large amount of use going on. When one of these new ingredients — something that's more potent and gives a bigger high — is released and gets into distribution, it can cause these more extreme effects."
According to Dr. Ryan, the spike in spice-related hospitalizations has also meant a spike in calls to the poison center.