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More overdoses of synthetic drug reported

Manchester police call store-bought product dangerous

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   WMUR Updated: 1:09 AM EDT Aug 14, 2014

Stephanie Woods  

News Anchor/Reporter

MANCHESTER, N.H. —

Overdoses of an over-the-counter product being used as a drug are continuing to plague Manchester, with nine more overdoses overnight.

Click to watch News 9's coverage.

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Manchester police said there were two dozen overdoses the previous day, and a product known as spice is to blame.

It's marketed as potpourri, but people have been using it instead of marijuana with dangerous results.

The latest overdoses were reported in Bronstein Park. People who told News 9 that they use spice said they use it because it's available and cheap.

Police said the overdoses appear to be associated with the brand Smacked. It's sold in brightly colored packages with flavors such as bubblegum, blueberry and lemon-lime. Police said it's responsible for more than 30 overdoses in Manchester in the past 48 hours.

"You drive by any of the parks now in the last couple of days, and you see people who are absolutely lethargic, passed out. It's very hard to get a response," said Sgt. Brian O'Keefe.

As police held a news conference Tuesday to warn of the dangers of the product, several people were being treated for overdosing on spice.

"It's a green, leafy product that is sprayed with unknown chemicals and products," O'Keefe said.

Investigators said the application of those chemicals isn't consistent.

"Sometimes, if they're more heavy-handed in one area than another, they package this up, and that heavy-handed spray area becomes toxic to those that are inhaling it," O'Keefe said.

Police said spice is manufactured outside the United States and has found its way to store shelves in Manchester.

"Some of the clerks and owners are saying a traveling salesman shows up with this product, which is not good business practice," O'Keefe said. "We'll be checking into that."

Mayor Ted Gatsas, health officials, police and others met Wednesday to try to figure out a way to ban the product.

"When you have 24 overdoses within a 24-hour period, that certainly gets your attention," Gatsas said.

Officials said they will start by going after the store owners. Under a city ordinance, anyone caught selling it could have their license revoked.

"We're looking to recoup costs of the emergency vehicle that had to respond to these, and they are also talking to the hospitals about how they can recoup their emergency costs and charging the store owners for those costs," Gatsas said.

Three stores in Manchester have been shut down.

“Every store owner that’s out there who’s even thinking about selling this, we’ll be taking a look at your store and what you’re selling because if you’re selling this, we’re going to be making sure that we’re pulling your license,” Gatsas said.

Officers fanned out across the city Tuesday night and hit 50 stores, but they didn't find any spice, and they think the worst might be over.

"We believe the product is sold out, and we're hopeful that is the case, because we don't want to continue to deal with the overdoses that we have for the past 48 hours," O'Keefe said.

Pedro Rodriguez, who owns Rodriguez Convenience Store, said he would never sell spice or any forms of synthetic marijuana even if they are legal.

“And you should not sell anything that’s going to harm anybody,” he said.

Rodriguez said he gets a few customers asking for spice every day.

“Normally, I get people asking for spice like on a daily basis,” he said. “I don’t know what’s in them so I haven’t got anything like that, but now that I know it’s going to harm people, I wouldn’t have it.”

Police said businesses are cooperating in pulling spice from the shelves, but the problem might not be limited to Manchester. Concord police said they have had two overdoses reported from spice involving a juvenile and a 47-year-old.