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CDC Experts To Investigate Spice Hospitalizations In Denver

DENVER (CBS4)- Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are traveling to Denver to investigate an alarming number of people hospitalized after using synthetic marijuana.

"Spice," "K2" or "Black Mamba" are the names of a drug that is a form of synthetic marijuana. The drug is distributed in little packets. It can be 800 times more potent than THC the chemical in marijuana that makes people high.

Police believe that a bad batch of the synthetic drug is being spread around and has left more than 75 people in area emergency rooms. Several of those are on life support.

It's believed three people have died from the dangerous drug.

"We aren't really sure what's making people ill and we want to prevent people from getting ill so if you are using synthetic marijuana products please stop," said Colorado Dept. of Health & Environment spokeswoman Dr. Tista Ghosh.

The investigators also want to know where people are getting the drugs.

Samuel Alavarado says his son smoked synthetic marijuana this week but the side effects were bad enough to take him to Denver Health Medical Center.

"It's is scary, it's real scary that I thought I was going to lose him," Alvarado said. "I thought he was going to die on us."

He says his son even developed severe paranoia and hallucinations.

"He couldn't sit, he couldn't stand, he couldn't talk, he couldn't even keep his eyes open," Alavarado said. "He was fighting with somebody and then all of a sudden he was acting like he was playing football with somebody."

While the investigation is underway more deaths are possible.

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