'Black Mamba'

Synthetic Pot Behind Three Deaths?

Colorado health department launches investigation.

Marijuana hasn’t killed anyone, but its synthetic cousin might have contributed to three deaths in Colorado. Public health officials are investigating whether fake pot is to blame for sickening 75 people after early reports suggested some who were hospitalized had smoked “Black Mamba.” Generally sold on the Internet, synthetic dope has a psychoactive effect similar to the real stuff (euphoria, giggles, munchies), but is sprayed with chemicals that can cause listlessness and other adverse reactions. While pot is legal in Colorado, the Drug Enforcement Administration claims Black Mamba is illegal because it’s not pure. How they plan to weed out the synthetic stuff from the legal, “pure” cannabis, is yet to be determined.