Illegal synthetic pot contaminated with rat poison continues to be sold in the U.S., posing a significant health risk not only to those using the product, but also to the nation's blood supply, the FDA warned.
In recent months, hundreds of individuals across 10 states have been hospitalized after ingesting pot laced with brodifacoum, a highly lethal anticoagulant used in rat poison. There have been five deaths.
People ingesting the products had severe side effects because brodifacoum causes severe bleeding.
The synthetic pot laced with rat poison also threatens to contaminate donated blood. Since brodifacoum has a long half-life, the bleeding side effect can persist for weeks — putting those in need of blood at risk.