NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) Health care and social workers say hospitalizations are on the rise for people smoking a chemically laced potpourri, sometimes sold as ``Spice,'' or ``Scooby Snax.''

The Day of New London reports local emergency medical service providers who have known about the range of effects from synthetic marijuana, sometimes marketed as K2, report a similar increase.

Dr. Oliver Mayorga, chairman of emergency medicine at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital says effects of the drug are unpredictable based on who's using it and the difference in the drug's chemical makeup.

He says what could act a sedative for one person can have the opposite effect on others, leaving them ``extremely agitated, violent and confused.''

He compared the effect on some users to someone using PCP, also known as angel dust.