A deadly batch of synthetic cannabinoids is circulating in Taranaki and has been linked to at least one death.
The High Alert early warning site put out a notification of a "particularly dangerous batch" on Monday.
This is likely linked to at least one death and another serious hospitalisation in the Taranaki region. It's also possible this batch is in other regions of New Zealand.
"It's likely the synnie responsible for this harm is 4F-MDMB-BICA. It's possible other synthetic cannabinoids substances are also involved. 4F-MDMB-BICA has been implicated in a number of deaths overseas and other harm events in New Zealand," High Alert says on its site.
"High Alert recommends extreme caution consuming synthetic cannabinoids, especially in the Taranaki Region at this time."
Taking these synthetic cannabinoids can cause "harmful and unpredictable effects".
"People may collapse or 'drop', foam at the mouth, or experience temporary paralysis," High Alert says.
"The effects are often worse if taken at the same time as alcohol and other drugs, if a person is unwell, or experiencing mental distress."
Other effects include nausea, seizures, paranoia, loss of consciousness and death.
High Alert, which is run by Drug Information and Alerts Aotearoa New Zealand (DIANZ), urges people to call 111 immediately for an ambulance if someone is unconscious, stops breathing or has chest pain or breathing difficulties for longer than five minutes, has a seizure, or is extremely agitated for longer than 15 minutes.
How to identify the drug
- Usually described as a white, off-white or yellow-brown powder
- Usually sprayed onto dehydrated plant material and smoked
- Often a chemical smell and sprayed plant material may be sticky - it is noticeably different from cannabis
- It can be vaped or consumed orally
- Appearance and effects can vary among synthetic cannabinoids
