CBD vape users thought the product they puff could grant them a soothing feeling but instead caused them to take a trip to the ER. It’s because what they inhaled contained a tinge of synthetic marijuana, which caused bouts of hallucinations and seizures.

As soon as the outbreak ended last year, more than 50 individuals in Salt Lake City were poisoned by the vape brand ‘Yolo!’, which colloquially means ‘you only live once’.

There are some hundred or so vape users who are reported to have developed strange lung diseases, with around 30 deaths resulting from the incident. Users attribute this unfortunate circumstance to Yolo.

Law enforcers and public health officials made investigated, yet there is little information about the substance or where it came from.

The Associated Press digs deep

With the event of CBD vapes being illegally spiked and causing psychoactive effects on users, The Associated Press investigated on the matter to understand the Yolo story.

They traced it to an entrepreneur from a Southern California beach town who made a career change following her vaping habit. It is also what led her to a change of scenery, from Hollywood parties to a Manhattan federal court.

In 2010, Janell Thompson moved to San Diego from Utah and found the roommate whom she first met online. She also vaped.

Thompson and her roommate’s shared interest in vape soon turned into a business. Using her financial services background, Thompson founded Hookahzz, an electronic cigarette company.

The company showed promise and early success as they distributed Hookahzz products during a pre-party at the Emmy Awards. Their vape products were also included in gift bags for Oscar nominees in 2014. An industry insider called them the ‘divas of CBD’ in a video filmed at a particular trade show.

Hookahzz is one of the first companies to market vapes infused with CBD or cannabidiol. Nowadays, CBD is mixed as an ingredient for many products such as gummy bears and creams, which used to be illegal in some states and virtually unknown during that time.

The business partners also developed other CBD brands that sold edibles, capsules, and pet products. Thompson pitched their CBD pet items with the story of her dog’s tumor being treated by the substance.

Selling the spiked vapes

In the autumn of 2017, Thompson and partner founded Mathco Health Corporation, a new CBD company. In just a few months, their Yolo product was being sold in stores around Salt Lake City. The said product contained K2 or spice, also known as synthetic marijuana.

Significantly cheaper, manmade synthetic marijuana is commonly extracted from hemp.

Samples sent to a lab in Utah showed that Yolo has synthetic marijuana and no trace of CBD at all. It is responsible for the death of at least 11 people in Europe.

Authorities figured that some users tried Yolo to get high, while others were unaware of the presence of synthetic marijuana in the product. However, they were boggled about the product’s source. The Utah Bureau of Investigation were grasping at straws since no seller would talk about Yolo. The packaging also doesn’t have any contact details.

Come summer of 2018 when a former bookkeeper from Mathco prepared a workplace retaliation complaint and gathered evidence of the corrupt business practices she believed the company did. Tatianna Gustafson did her research and got ahold of online pictures showing Yolo as the culprit in Salt Lake City poisoning.

In the complaint she submitted to the Department of Industrial Relations in California, Gustafson wrote that Mathco excluded how Yolo was manufactured in the product’s promotional material. It was missing contact information and ingredients list on the label.

Another former Mathco employee named Justin Davis stated to AP that Yolo profit margins were more substantial than other products.

Implications of the ex-employee complaint

Gustafson’s filing of the complaint showed that Mathco, with incorporated company JK Wholesale, manufactured and distributed Yolo. Thompson’s initials were found in the company’s financial records, signing as the chief salesperson for transactions.

Records also showed Yolo being sold in six more states, including South Carolina. A case reported one college student going into a coma after vaping the said product.

Gustafson also tipped the Utah Poison Control Center regarding the people behind Yolo in her complaint.

Barbara Crouch, director for the state’s poison center, confirmed getting the tip that she passed to the Utah investigations bureau. Christopher Elsholz, SBI agent, made contact with the tipster who revealed that Yolo was distributed by the company she was working for. Since the company was out of their jurisdiction, Elsholz forwarded the statement to the DEA.

DEA Spokeswoman Mary Brandenberg took no action despite offering help. The agency considers spiked CBD as a low priority since they face more significant issues like the opioid epidemic.

How Thompson was caught

It wasn’t synthetic marijuana that ultimately led Thompson to the federal court.

Vape brands Black Diamond and Black Magic had reportedly sent 40 North Carolina residents to the hospital, including military men and school students. Investigators linked Thompson to the said outbreak due to a guilty plea of the spiked vape distributor who insisted it was Thompson who supplied the vape liquid.

Thompson also pleaded guilty to charges by New York prosecutors concerning the distribution of K2 and money laundering. They cited Yolo as the spiked brand.

US Attorney Geoffrey Berman labeled Thompson as a drug trafficker who distributed large quantities of K2 through JK Wholesale since 2014. She is facing prison time of up to 40 years.

Katarina Maloney, roommate and business partner, excluded herself from Yolo and Thompson in an interview last August at Mathco headquarters. She received no charges in the federal investigation.

A supplementary email from Maloney stated that the Yolo found in Utah did not come from their company. She wrote that their corporation does not engage in the illegal product market. She also insisted that their CBD products are 100% law-abiding.

However, Maloney denied requests to show lab results for their Yolo products.

Scott Davis, a 40-year-old man, running a building and maintenance company from Torquay, Devon got diagnosed las September with terminal cancer and was suggested to get palliative care. The doctors said he had only 12 months to live.

However, he took the matter in his hands by researching and started taking cannabidiol oil and fenbendazole, a dog-worming tablet. He also consumed many vitamins, and now claims that he feels healthier and stronger.

Scott has reached his 40^th birthday, surpassing the doctor’s expectations as his cancer has been stabilized for about six months.

Trying out the unordinary

Scott, a dad of three, read that CBD oil and fenbendazole work well together from online sources. He noticed many people talking about the success of the combination and wanted to give it a try.

He stated that he buys fenbendazole for £7.5 online every week and consumes a pack per day. It is in powder form, which he usually sprinkles on his toast.

Scott was told by the doctors about his inoperable cancer in September 2018. They were offering palliative care, which shocked him since they gave him roughly 12 months to live. He felt healthy and fit at the time of his diagnosis.

A few months before talking to the doctors, he noticed getting several stomach pains, which his healthcare professional thought was caused by IBS. However, the pain started to worsen not long after, which landed him a trip to the hospital where they found out about the tumor.

He was getting palliative care and chemotherapy for six months when he started searching for alternative treatment options. He claimed that a nurse gave him a leaflet about CBD oil and its benefits, which was also when he found out about fenbendazole and cannabidiol oil.

He started taking the alternative route in May, even before he started his chemo. He said that he is aware that it’s not the cure for cancer, but this combination helped him prolong his life, which the thinks could help other people suffering from terminal cancer, too.

Desire to inspire people

According to Scott, his tumor hasn’t enlarged since he started medicating himself and jokingly adds how he exceeded his ‘expiration date’.

He noted how there are more people out there who have tried alternative treatment and found astounding results as well. He believes that the CBD oil and dog worming medication mixed with a healthy lifestyle may keep him going until 75 years old.

He turned 40 last September 25, or twelve months and thirteen days since his diagnosis, and he reiterated how he felt healthier, focused, and fitter than ever.

His healthcare team has also noticed and progress and told him to keep doing what he is doing, says Scott. His current goal is to raise awareness for people and inspire them while he still lives.

Experts, however, warn that these alternative therapies have no scientific evidence that they can cure or actively treat cancer.

Macmillan Cancer Support said that, as of writing, no alternative treatment had been proven to slow the growth of cancer, or effectively treat it. They noted how doctors are usually supportive of complementary therapies to help patients cope with their disease.

However, professionals generally advise against alternative routes of treatment. The support group added that it’s essential to check for the credentials of the dedicated therapist and the safety of the medications used.

Kristen Bell opened up about suffering from depression and anxiety in her cover story for Women’s Health November issue. She revealed that she takes cannabidiol or CBD oil every morning along with her prescription SSRI antidepressant, which she says is a part of her mental health regimen.

Talking about mental health

Bell, the 39-year-old The Good Place actress, started discussing mental health after getting the suggestion from Dax Shepard, her husband who also had his share of issues like alcoholism and sobriety. ‘

She was initially hesitant but later realized that it was shame stopping her from opening up about depression. She noted how she felt irresponsible because her persona is that of an outgoing, bubbly girl who always wears a smile, yet some days she is far from how the people see her.

Bell considers exercise as a must-do for her mental well-being. She currently enjoys how Studio Metamorphosis’ Pilates classes help condition her body. She indicated how a physical activity should be a regular practice for anyone with anxiety or depression since it releases serotonin and endorphins.

With workouts, Bell feels positive about herself and believes that it sets her next 48 hours by being patient, capable, and centered.

Taking CBD oil

Michigan-native Bell stated that she started having episodes of serotonin imbalance when she was 18. After a good body workout, she drops a CBD tincture on her tongue to help ease her anxiety. She also added that she takes adaptogens.

She said that she wanted to try everything, including the wellness products she browses online.

Cannabidiol or CBD is a hemp-derived compound that gives the relaxation benefits of the cannabis plant without the psychoactive effect that its cousin variety, the marijuana, gives out. CBD is, therefore, non-intoxicating and legal in all 50 US states, and as well as in other parts of the globe.

CBD comes in many forms, most notably the oil preparation. People are lauding the substance for its alleged therapeutic benefits. Aside from helping with anxiety and depression, CBD is said to be useful for seizures, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, colitis, Huntington’s disease, many types of pain and even treats sleep disorders.

CBD may also be found as an ingredient of dietary supplements and food preparations. However, the FDA is yet to give out a clear stand on the matter, which makes the lawful marketing of such products questionable. As of writing, the agency has stated that it could take years for it to establish a defined regulatory framework for consumable CBD.

For Bell, mental health talks for her daughters Delta and Lincoln, 6 and 4, respectively, consist of teaching them that vulnerability is equal to strength. She believes that their dialogue around their homestays opens, whether it’s about Shepard going to the AA or her who is currently dealing with her mental health issues.