Michigan health officials have asked the state to put a new class of synthetic drugs on the state's controlled substance list.
Street drugs with names like 25i, 2CB or 2X are made with a chemical called phenethylamine -- a stimulant.
Its appearance in Michigan has prompted the Michigan Department of Community Health to issue an imminent danger notification to the Michigan Board of Pharmacy.
Angela Minicucci is with the Michigan Department of Community Health.
She says Michigan State Police believe the drug is produced overseas.
"They create hallucinations, disorientation, but more concerning for us is that they create seizures, and they lead to something called central nervous depression. That shuts off pain receptors, and it's very damaging to individuals who can't feel whether they're getting hurt," Minicucci says.
"A lot of people may not know they're using this particular drug. It can be sold as a powdered drug. it can be sold in liquid form, even on blotter paper."
Under a new state law, the drugs could be fast-tracked into the state's Schedule 1 controlled substances category.
Minicucci says 19 people in Michigan have been treated in emergency rooms after using the drug.
Five people have died nationwide.
