OCALA, Fla. (AP) - Six arrests have been made and 25 to 30 people hospitalized in Ocala after a rash of violence and medical emergencies that authorities believe was caused by the use of synthetic marijuana laced with an unknown chemical.
Ocala police and fire personnel have responded to dozens of calls of people "acting weird" and violent over the past week, leading police to deploy extra officers.
Authorities believe so-called "K2" synthetic marijuana laced with a harmful chemical is to blame.
The Ocala Star-Banner reports (http://bit.ly/1Q5MyGN ) that six arrests were made for people possessing the drug, and two for sale of it.
Synthetic marijuana is a mixture of illegal chemicals often sold in stores. The Florida Legislature has outlawed many of the component parts of the drug, but manufacturers keep changing the formula.
___
Information from: Ocala (Fla.) Star-Banner, http://www.starbanner.com/
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
