Synthetic cannabinoids contaminated with rat poison caused 174 cases and 5 deaths in Illinois
A 2018 outbreak in Illinois linked synthetic cannabinoids contaminated with the rodenticide brodifacoum to 174 cases of severe bleeding disorder and 5 deaths.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
From March to July 2018, 174 confirmed and probable cases of severe coagulopathy (bleeding disorder) were identified among synthetic cannabinoid users in Illinois, including 5 deaths. Toxicology confirmed exposure to brodifacoum, a long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide. The outbreak required unprecedented coordination between public health and law enforcement.
Key Numbers
174 confirmed/probable cases; 5 deaths; March-July 2018; brodifacoum (long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide) identified as contaminant.
How They Did This
Public health outbreak investigation and response documenting 174 confirmed and probable cases of brodifacoum-contaminated synthetic cannabinoid exposure in Illinois, March-July 2018.
Why This Research Matters
This was one of the largest poisoning outbreaks from contaminated illicit substances in US history. It illustrates the extreme and unpredictable dangers of unregulated synthetic cannabinoids, which can contain any number of toxic adulterants.
The Bigger Picture
Synthetic cannabinoids are already more dangerous than cannabis due to their high potency, but contamination with industrial poisons adds an entirely different category of risk. This outbreak highlights why harm reduction experts advocate for regulated, tested cannabis products.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Outbreak investigation, not a designed study; actual number of exposed individuals likely higher than 174 documented cases; specific supply chain not fully mapped; retrospective identification of cases.
Questions This Raises
- ?Was the contamination intentional or accidental?
- ?How can public health systems better prepare for outbreaks involving illicit substances?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 174 cases, 5 deaths from rat poison-contaminated synthetic cannabinoids
- Evidence Grade:
- Strong: well-documented public health outbreak with toxicological confirmation and comprehensive case identification.
- Study Age:
- Published 2020.
- Original Title:
- The Public Health Response to a Large Poisoning Outbreak Involving an Illicit Substance: Synthetic Cannabinoids Contaminated With a Long-Acting Anticoagulant Rodenticide, Illinois, March-July, 2018.
- Published In:
- Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 26(6), E1-E7 (2020)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02747
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How were synthetic cannabinoids contaminated with rat poison?
The exact mechanism was not determined, but toxicology confirmed brodifacoum (a long-acting rodenticide) in patients who used synthetic cannabinoids. Whether contamination was intentional or accidental remains unclear.
Can you get rat poison from K2/Spice?
This 2018 Illinois outbreak proved it is possible. 174 people developed severe bleeding disorders and 5 died from synthetic cannabinoids contaminated with brodifacoum.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- 420-sober-survival-guide
- CBT-cannabis-recovery
- THC-purity-potency-label-meaning
- cannabis-relapse-cycle-pattern
- cold-turkey-vs-taper-quit-weed
- dab-concentrate-addiction-withdrawal
- dating-sober-after-quitting-weed
- delta-8-addiction-withdrawal
- edible-addiction-withdrawal-different
- edibles-psychosis-emergency-room
- exercise-quitting-weed-anxiety-brain
- grieving-quitting-weed-loss
- healthiest-way-to-consume-cannabis
- help-someone-quit-weed
- how-cannabis-products-made-concentrates-edibles
- how-to-quit-weed
- journaling-weed-withdrawal
- laced-weed-fentanyl-contaminated-vape
- legal-weed-vs-street-weed-quality-safety
- marijuana-anonymous-SMART-recovery-compare
- meditation-mindfulness-weed-withdrawal
- partner-still-smokes-weed
- partner-still-smokes-weed-quitting
- pink-cloud-sobriety-cannabis
- quit-weed-cold-turkey
- quit-weed-or-cut-back-which-is-better
- quit-weed-regret-went-back
- quitting-dabs-withdrawal
- quitting-edibles-withdrawal
- quitting-weed-20s
- quitting-weed-30s
- quitting-weed-after-years
- quitting-weed-during-crisis-divorce-job-loss
- quitting-weed-exercise
- quitting-weed-grief-loss-coping
- quitting-weed-legal-state
- quitting-weed-success-stories
- quitting-weed-triggers-environment
- relapsed-smoking-weed-what-to-do
- relapsed-weed
- sativa-vs-indica-difference-myth
- should-i-quit-weed
- sober-music-festival-concert-without-weed
- supplements-weed-withdrawal
- telling-friends-quitting-weed
- weed-potency-withdrawal
- weed-relapse-prevention-plan
- weed-relapse-why-it-happens
- weed-ritual-replacement
- weed-ruined-relationships
- weed-social-media-triggers-quit
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02747APA
Navon, Livia; Moritz, Erin; Austin, Connie; Wahl, Michael; Aks, Steven; Layden, Jennifer. (2020). The Public Health Response to a Large Poisoning Outbreak Involving an Illicit Substance: Synthetic Cannabinoids Contaminated With a Long-Acting Anticoagulant Rodenticide, Illinois, March-July, 2018.. Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 26(6), E1-E7. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001002
MLA
Navon, Livia, et al. "The Public Health Response to a Large Poisoning Outbreak Involving an Illicit Substance: Synthetic Cannabinoids Contaminated With a Long-Acting Anticoagulant Rodenticide, Illinois, March-July, 2018.." Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001002
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The Public Health Response to a Large Poisoning Outbreak Inv..." RTHC-02747. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/navon-2020-the-public-health-response
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.