Dozens Hospitalized In Mass Overdose At Connecticut Park

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- People are saying 46 people overdosed Wednesday from a suspected bad batch of "K2" synthetic marijuana at or near a city park in Connecticut. No deaths were reported, but officials said two people had life-threatening symptoms.

Most of the overdoses were on the New Haven Green, a popular, historic downtown park that borders part of Yale University, and officials said they expected the overdose total to increase.

Emergency crews showed up and found some people passed out and unresponsive, while others were complaining of nausea or were vomiting.

Police are still waiting for toxicology results, but believe the victims had been using synthetic marijuana -- also known as K2.

"We heard from people on the Green that it potentially contained PCP, and some of the reactions in the emergency room suggest there was an opioid involved as well," said EMS Medical Director Sandy Bogucki.

New Haven first responders were called to a similar overdose outbreak on the Green on July 4, when more than a dozen people were sick from synthetic marijuana. The city also saw more than a dozen synthetic marijuana overdoses in late January. No deaths were reported in either outbreak.

Synthetic marijuana, which generally is plant material sprayed with chemicals that mimic the high from real marijuana, has been blamed for overdoses across the country.

Police said they arrested a man believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)