‘Extrovert’ lad, 12, dies suffering fatal heart attack after smoking spice

A 12-year-old has tragically died after suffering a heart attack after smoking spice.

David Dias is thought to have taken the drug at a friend's birthday party in Diadema, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on February 3, 2023.

The boy later returned home and told his mum, Kelly Santos, that he wasn't feeling well.

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He was rushed to hospital where went into cardiac arrest and died.

Kelly told local media that the cannabinoid has seen a huge rise in popularity with children and teens in her neighbourhood of Campanario since December.

She said: "The kids' Christmas wasn't spent well, I'm not going to lie, it was all about drugs.

"There were no more children running in the street and having fun. You only saw children vomiting, sleeping. It was only drugs."

Kelly had reportedly told David specifically not to smoke spice before his death.

The mum, who has four other children, said she tried to get David to stop taking drugs but ran out of time.

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She visited her local branch of Child Protective Services hoping to launch a project warning kids against the use of narcotics, but was told her proposal could only begin after February.

Kelly described David as extroverted and a dreamer, adding: "He wanted to work, he wanted to go to college, he wanted to have his car and motorcycle."

Spice – also known as K2, synthetic marijuana, or fake weed – is a synthetic cannabinoid.

The lab-made drug is up to 100 times stronger than cannabis and can cause users to relax or experience elevated mood.

However, it can also have a number of unpleasant and even dangerous effects.

Some of the less enjoyable side effects of "the zombie drug" can see users suffer psychosis, extreme anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and hallucinations.

More severe effects include a rapid heart rate, vomiting, violent behaviour, and suicidal thoughts, while overdosing can cause elevated blood pressure, reduced blood supply to the heart, kidney damage, seizures, and in some cases, death.

The strength of the drug and the amount it varies in potency also means it can be difficult to regulate how much you're taking.

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