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Officials: Synthetic marijuana linked to 3 deaths

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February 19th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say three young Iowans died last year after using a new kind of synthetic marijuana. The Des Moines Register reports the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy disclosed the deaths Tuesday. Office Director Steve Lukan called the news a demonstration that the “quick-changing products are unsafe” and the need to educate people about their danger. Officials say those who died were in their late teens through late 20s. Officials wouldn’t provide details about the deaths.

The Iowa Poison Control Center says those who died had used a compound called 5F-PB-22. Although it’s hard to prove the drug was the sole cause of death, it was in the systems of those who died. The compound is the latest of many synthetic marijuana products, often known as spice or K2.