At least 12 people overdosed on the drug K2 around a motel and shelters on Wilkes Boulevard on Wednesday evening, according to Columbia Police.
The Columbia Missourian reported one additional overdose at a nearby church on Thursday morning, according to Columbia Police.
None of the overdoses were reported to be fatal.
Police reported that it appeared a batch of K2 in the Columbia area had been laced with unknown drugs or poisons.
Columbia/Boone Public Health and Human Services and Turning Point are pursuing outreach among a high-risk homeless population in areas where they take shelter, according to a press release from the Columbia Police Department.