Officials in Illinois are trying to contain the serious reactions to synthetic cannabinoid products. Marijuana advocates say strict laws are part of the problem.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued a warning over what they’re calling an “outbreak” of adverse reactions related to synthetic cannabinoid products.

Between March 7 and April 3, Illinois public health officials recorded 70 reports of severe reactions to these synthetic products, including two deaths.

Other adverse effects include coughing up blood, bloody urine, and bloody noses. The majority of these cases occurred in Chicago, Peoria County, and Tazewell County.

“These synthetic cannabinoids are not cannabis. They’re synthetic chemicals, some of which can be lethal, that have no relation to natural cannabis whatsoever,” Chris Kilham, an author and educator who promotes plant-based medicines, told Healthline.