Q COSTA RICA – Although the synthetic marijuana, known as K2, has been in Costa Rica for the past year, it wasn’t until Thursday that it caused the first major intoxication in the country.
Prior to Thursday, there have been occasional reported cases of persons being affected by the K2, found alone, naked and in public raids.
But that all changed radically yesterday morning, when authorities had to respond outside the Venue bar, in San Pedro, when 15 young people were intoxicated and required medical attention; two of which are reported to be in very delicate condition.
According to the police report, all were of age and all they know is that the young people were in the bar, then left and remained in the parking lot. It is unknown where and at what time they would have ingested the substance.
What are synthetic cannabinoids?
Synthetic cannabinoids refer to a growing number of man-made mind-altering chemicals that are either sprayed on dried, shredded plant material so they can be smoked (herbal incense) or sold as liquids to be vaporized and inhaled in e-cigarettes and other devices (liquid incense). Learn more
Fortunately, none made it to the public street, including on the train tracks adjacent to the parking lot.
The alert came at 4:00am Thursday morning. A group of boys with ‘behaving strangely’ in the parking lot, according tot he Ministry of Public Security (MSP).
“They were in a state of unconsciousness and could not stand up,” said Carlos Hidalgo, a spokesman for the MSP.
Authorities believe that those affected may have mixed the synthetic marijuana with cocaine and liquor.
