Vape Shop Clerk Charged After Teen Overdoses on Synthetic Cannabinoid
Things went tragically wrong this week in Mooresville, North Carolina when a local high school student unknowingly ingested a dangerous form of synthetic marijuana. Now, we see a vape shop clerk charged after teen overdoses on synthetic cannabinoid.
Black Diamond “CBD Oil”
According to local news source wsoctv, the teenage high school student went to Tobacco & Vapor, a vape shop in Mooresville, to purchase CBD oil. The shop sold the student a product called Black Diamond, which was labeled as “CBD oil.”
At some point after consuming the oil, the student suffered an overdose. While investigating the case, authorities determined that the oil was not actually CBD. Instead, it was a dangerous form of synthetic marijuana.
Reports said the vape oil was either a substance called 5F-ADB or FUB-AMB. Both of these substances are synthetic cannabinoids, and they’re both known to produce very dangerous side effects.
5F-ADB was linked to at least 10 fatal overdoses in Japan between September 2014 and December 2014. The substance has since been classified a Schedule I banned drug in the U.S.
Similarly, FUB-AMB was one of the primary ingredients in the synthetic marijuana that led to a “mass casualty event” in Brooklyn during the summer of 2016.
That summer, 33 people between the ages of 25 and 59 suffered severe side effects after consuming synthetic marijuana containing FUB-AMB. Eighteen of those 33 were hospitalized.
Additionally, the substance was linked to as many as 20 deaths in New Zealand last year.
Along with a high risk of fatal overdose, other side effects of these synthetic cannabinoids include loss of consciousness, coma, stroke, seizures and dangerous convulsions.
Similarly, the substances often leave people in a dazed, catatonic state that people often describe as “zombie-like.”
Final Hit: Vape Shop Clerk Charged After Teen Overdoses on Synthetic Cannabinoid
After discovering that synthetic cannabinoids were involved in the overdose of the Mooresville teen, authorities searched the vape shop that sold the product. They found and seized nine more vials of the vape oil. Additionally, cops seized $6,000 in cash.
Following the event, authorities arrested 31-year-old Rashad Naji Mohsen Al Hubaishi. They are reportedly charging him with nine felonies, including selling illegal drugs, and bond was set at $75,000.
This is the most recent tragedy involving synthetic cannabinoids. In fact, over the past few years, there have been growing concerns over the dangers of synthetic marijuana.
For example, many countries including the U.S. have seen a wave of synthetic marijuana overdoses among homeless populations.
Similarly, there’s been a spike recently in the number of U.S. soldiers who have died from synthetic marijuana. Since January, at least 90 soldiers and Marines have experienced “serious medical issues” after vaping synthetic marijuana. This is largely the result of soldiers attempting to work around cannabis prohibition laws.
The rise of dangerous synthetic cannabinoids has sparked new efforts by many cities and countries to ban them. For example, South Bend, Indiana outlawed synthetic marijuana. More recently, lawmakers in the city have launched aggressive public education campaigns to keep the substances off the streets.
Similarly, lawmakers in New Zealand recently introduced a new bill that would increase penalties for synthetic marijuana.
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