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In Santa Ana, California more than 40 people became sick after eating a cake that is a tradition in Hispanic communities around the world, the 3 kings holiday cake or bread. Synthetic drugs are believed to be the cause and local police are investigating the incident. All of the product was purchased from Cholula’s Bakery and retail outlets which sell the bakery product. Consumers who ate some of the 3 king cake complained of having hallucinations, and some described heart palpitations as well. The initial lab reports indicate that there is synthetic drugs in the cake and police have started a criminal investigation into the incident. Further lab tests to conclusively identify the drugs involved are expected to take a few more weeks.

Lacing the 3 kings holiday cake with synthetic drugs may have been intentional or accidental, it is too soon in the investigation to determine how it happened. In an ironic coincidence the incident happened close to the time that the Protecting Our Kids From dangerous Synthetic Drugs Act is being debated in Congress in order to crack down on the importers and manufacturers of these dangerous substances. There are hundreds of variations when it comes to synthetic drugs, and while some are outlawed in the USA new versions keep popping up. Some people use synthetic substances in a mistaken belief that they are not as dangerous or addictive but this is not true. According to Forbes writer David Knoll “From a consumer standpoint it seems that the law enforcement authorities have been successful in reducing the sales of these so-called legal highs in convenience stores and the Internet. But there still is enough of a clandestine market.”