Fake pot still making U.S. teens sick

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Synthetic marijuana, subject to a government ban due to take effect later this month, is still sickening teens in Florida, authorities said.

At least six teenagers, some as young as 14, have been hospitalized after using Spice, a synthetic marijuana sold as incense in Florida convenience stores, TCPalm.com reported Friday.

Fort Pierce Central High School student Keenan Rice says he had hallucinations after smoking a cigarette a friend rolled Spice into without Rice's knowledge.

"I was fine at first," Rice said. "I had a high for about 15 seconds, and then I felt like I was dying. I felt like I was in hell."

Paramedics took Rice to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute where his doctor recognized his symptoms

"I don't think there's a school in St. Lucie County that hasn't been affected by Spice," Lt. Kevin Dietrich, a school resource officer, said. "We find by many of the high schools a lot of shop owners are selling it and highly displaying it."

Eleven states had banned synthetic marijuana before the Drug Enforcement Administration announced a one-year ban to go into effect this month.