9 Aug 2021

Man appears in court in relation to deadly synthetic cannabinoid

8:50 pm on 9 August 2021

A 29-year-old man has appeared in New Plymouth District Court today in relation to a dangerous type of synthetic cannabinoid being sold in the region.

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 05: A man prepares to smoke K2 or "Spice", a synthetic marijuana drug, along a street in East Harlem on August 5, 2015 in New York City. New York, along with other cities, is experiencing a deadly epidemic

Photo: AFP

Police say in July, two people died and a third was hospitalised in relation to the substance.

Synthetic cannabinoids can have harmful and unpredictable effects including difficulty breathing, seizures and temporary paralysis, police say.

An investigation is underway into the deaths.