New Hampshire declares state of emergency over poisonous synthetic pot

[unhappycamper]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/16/new-hampshire-declares-state-of-emergency-over-poisonous-synthetic-pot/



New Hampshire declares state of emergency over poisonous synthetic pot
By Reuters
Saturday, August 16, 2014 13:33 EDT

(Reuters) – New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan declared a state of emergency on Thursday in response to 44 reported overdoses linked to people smoking or ingesting “Smacked,” a synthetic marijuana-like product sold in convenience stores as potpourri.

The state of emergency authorizes public health officials to investigate stores and quarantine the product, and Hassan directed the officials to work with local police departments to do so.

“These products pose a serious threat to public health, especially to young people, and it is our responsibility to do whatever we can to combat the recent rash of overdoses,” Hassan said in a statement.

The overdoses, none of which have been fatal, have primarily been reported in the Manchester area. Manchester police on Wednesday said they had found Smacked in three convenience stores and that those stores’ business licenses were revoked.