Several Stillwater prison employees hospitalized for suspected contact with synthetic marijuana

Nine Stillwater prison employees were hospitalized for evaluation Thursday after an inmate allegedly smoked synthetic marijuana and then a second inmate threw a container containing an unknown substance out of his cell, Minnesota Department of Corrections officials said.

One employee was given Narcan after experiencing symptoms, and all but one were transported by paramedics. As of Thursday afternoon, all nine had been treated and released.

The prison has been placed on lockdown, which will remain in effect until Friday, DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell said at a news conference.

According to the DOC, correctional officers responded to a cell at about 7:45 a.m. because an inmate was smoking an unknown substance. An officer experienced an adverse reaction that included dizziness, nausea and an increased heart rate. He was taken by ambulance to Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater.

A short time later, three more officers reported similar reactions and were taken to the hospital. Later, three others who responded to the incident felt ill and two were taken to the hospital.

In another case, but in the same housing unit, an inmate threw a container of an unknown substance from his cell, which landed near staff. Three staff members became ill and were also taken to the hospital.

The inmate who was caught smoking the substance told investigators he smoked a stronger than expected dose of K2, synthetic marijuana, according to the DOC.

“Although investigators have not completed testing for the specific substance from this incident, recent investigations have identified the presence of MDMB-4en-PINACA soaked and dried in paper,” the DOC said. “PINACA is an indazole-based synthetic cannabinoid that can often be purchased online and brought into the facility by mail.”

The DOC and other correctional facilities across the country are using a number of strategies to prevent synthetic substances from reaching inmates, including scanning mail with machine detection techniques. Minnesota's DOC is also photocopying mail as part of a pilot project, Schnell said.

“These synthetic substances are particularly dangerous because their chemical properties are unknown and uncontrolled,” said Schnell. “We are primarily focusing our investigative efforts on identifying and prosecuting those responsible for smuggling these substances into the security penal institutions.”

Schnell added: “For the safety of our employees, we are reviewing and updating our emergency protocols for suspected drug abuse cases.”

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