β€˜Spice' Use Prevalent in San Diego: SD Fire Rescue

A community emergency erupted after a bad batch of the drug spice was distributed earlier this week.

San Diego Fire-Rescue said its sign of just how prevalent spice use is right now locally.

But there was one aspect emergency responders didn't expect - the challenge of teens ending up victims of toxic spice.

β€œWe had some young people that were impacted, which is kind of unusual as far as the severity and the number of young people,” said Mike Finnerty, Battalion Chief, San Diego Fire Rescue.

Emergency responders were not only faced with getting five kids to the hospital, one of whom was only 13 years old, but because some of the teens were high on the drug, they actually created a problem for first responders.

Synthetic marijuana or spice can cause hallucination, psychosis and agitation.

β€œA lot of times they don't really understand, because of the impact of the substance, what's happening to them,” Finnerty told NBC7.

Finnerty explained that's what happened as firefighters rushed to help a teenage girl. Other teens, also on Spice, wouldn't let firefighters get to the teen.

β€œThe crew had to call for police back up in order to be able to access that patient,” said Finnerty.

Teenagers fall under implied consent because they are not adults.

β€œWe're obligated to care for the patient,” Finnerty explained. β€œYou have to balance as far as how far you push in to try to gain access to the patient versus your own safety and backing away and calling in for police to assist.”

Right now firefighters call Spice use the middle of a trend and say the community needs to be aware of it.

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