Horrific: 31 foreigners fall ill from cannabis gummies in Budapest

Over two dozen people had to be transported to a toxicology clinic in Budapest after they consumed cannabis gummies purchased at a local hemp store. The foreigners experienced near coma-like symptoms, with many of them needing days to recover. The police are investigating the event.

According to Blikk, a total of 31 non-nationals had to be hospitalised in Budapest in the past two weeks after consuming highly potent cannabis gummies. The foreigners visiting Budapest had bought the cannabionide-containing gummy candies in a CBD shop on Váci Street – a bag that contains five pieces of sweets and sells for HUF 15,000 (EUR 38.12). The product, as stated on the packaging, contains a substance called THCJD, which is a psychoactive cannabinoid similar to the more well-known THC.

Cannabis gummies induced nightmare: people in near coma from consuming THCJD

As THCJD is a relatively new strain of cannabinoid on the CBD market, scientific literature on its effects is virtually non-existent as of yet. Many say, however, that it has such a high potency that it mimics a strong psychedelic effect. Some claim that it is almost twenty times more intoxicating than THC. As there are a limited number of studies on the substance, verifying these claims is difficult, but nonetheless, the reported extreme potency of the substance puts consumers at an increased risk of intoxication and impairment.

This is probably what happened to the foreigners that had to be taken to the toxicology unit: according to Blikk, several of them were practically unconscious after consuming the cannabis gummies. A Jordanian couple, for example, was found unconscious in their Airbnb, lying on the floor in their own excrement, after missing for several days. They were not the only ones in such a predicament: others had been in a near coma-like state for days in the clinic.

“Totally out cold. They can neither speak nor move. It’s as if they were in a coma, lying there for days,”

a relative of one of the patients admitted told the newspaper. According to their information, the first patients exhibiting these symptoms arrived at the ward on Friday 21 June. Several of them were found to have cannabis gummies, and one person even had the bill for the candy with them. This is what led to the hemp shop on Váci Street.

Addictologist opinion: these drugs may be a cause of death

The relative who spoke to Blikk magazine said that while they did not know for sure momentarily, the patients did not seem to have suffered any permanent damage after consuming the cannabis gummies.

However, addiction specialist Dr. Sándor Funk stressed, “if something causes such a severe coma-like condition that lasts for days, then unfortunately there can be permanent damage, depending on what the drug has done to the brain. The destruction of nerve cells in the cortex causes symptoms similar to dementia (forgetfulness, dullness), but also vegetative problems.”

According to the expert, synthetic cannabinoids such as those in the cannabis gummies are particularly dangerous, both because they are extremely potent even in small quantities and because until they are officially identified and tested, the authorities cannot take adequate action to prevent their distribution and they circulate freely on the market.

“Until new substances are tested, until they are fine-tuned to know at exactly what dose they work, they can cause overdoses. They are very dangerous indeed, they can cause death,” Funk added.

The Budapest Police Headquarters reacted to the incident

In response to a request from Blikk, the Budapest Police Headquarters said that “an investigation has been opened against an unknown perpetrator on suspicion of incitement to the use of narcotics because in recent days several people – including minors – have been hospitalised after becoming ill after consuming gummy candy bought in a downtown CBD shop. Investigators have seized the shop’s entire stock of gummy candy and are subjecting them to forensic examination.”

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Source: Blikk