Three In Custody Linked To Synthetic Marijuana Outbreak
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The synthetic marijuana outbreak spreads as more people come down with dangerous symptoms.
Six more victims have suffered extreme bleeding.
And that makes 95 cases in Illinois.
Two people are confirmed dead.
The latest data came out as three men from the Chicago area appeared in court on federal drug charges.
CBS 2's Lauren Victory has the latest on this growing problem.
Federal prosecutors allege Fouad Masoud's North Lawndale store sold at least five people a product that sent them to emergency rooms.
"Blood in their urine, blood when they cough, severe nosebleed," says toxicologist Dr. Neeraj Chhabra.
He says that excessive bleeding could be caused by rat poison, which has been showing up in synthetic marijuana retailed across Illinois.
"The product itself is what's actually thinning the blood and then some patients are having complications related to the fact that their blood is so thin and those are usually bleeding complications," says Cchabara. "And that bleeding can occur almost anywhere in the body. It can last for weeks to months."
The Illinois Health Department is now reporting 95 cases of severe bleeding after synthetic marijuana use.
At least two people have died.
Another death is suspected to be related.
Masoud's employees from King Mini Mart showed undercover investigators 48 packages of Crazy Monkey and dozens of other cannabanoids last week prosecutors say.
Accused clerks Adil Khan Mohammad and Jamil Abdelrahman Jad Allah were in court on Tuesday.
A judge ordered both of them and their boss Masoud remain detained.
All face up to 20 years in prison.
Sentences that could go up if any customers deaths are linked to King Mini Mart.
Health experts say a lot of synthetic marijuana is manufactured in Asia.
And chemicals like rat poison end up in products as a filler.
