New, legal, drug has law enforcement concerned

[Strangely Brown]

News Article

New, legal, drug has law enforcement concerned — and it’s already on a Lawrence store’s shelves Legal substance prevalent in county, health official says It’s not marijuana, but some local law enforcement officials say it’s very similar. It’s a legal, smokable herbal mixture called K2, and is available in Lawrence. “This is basically a synthetic marijuana,” said Deputy Tom Erickson of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s still the same type of thing.” Erickson said the Johnson County crime lab tested K2 – which looks like potpourri and retails for about $10 per gram – and found that it had chemical properties that are similar to THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. K2 can be purchased at a downtown shop, Sacred Journey, 1103 Mass. Employees at the store declined an interview request. The substance’s similarity to marijuana is catching the eye of school officials and substance abuse treatment providers. The Olathe school district has dealt with a couple of cases of students possessing K2 in the schools, said Carol LeVar, executive director for general administration for the district. “We’re on the lookout,” she said. The Olathe student code provides for disciplinary action on substances such as K2, even though it’s legal. LeVar said that the district has concerns about K2, similar to those they have with illegal substances such as marijuana. “We’d deal with it pretty seriously,” LeVar said. Officials from Lawrence schools said they aren’t aware of K2 showing up in schools, but that doesn’t mean local youth aren’t using the substance, said Kendall Heiman, director of Professional Treatment Services, a Lawrence-based substance abuse treatment center. “It seems to have quite a presence in Douglas and Johnson counties,” she said. Heiman said counselors at her agency have seen a “dramatic increase” in youths using the substance in the last month. The substance doesn’t show up on a drug test, which makes it an attractive alternative to marijuana, she said. Because K2 is legal in the United States, Lawrence police Sgt. Bill Cory said, that leaves it out of the bounds of law enforcement. “We know it is out there but have not seen it. Since it is a legal substance there is not much we can do about it,” Cory said. But that doesn’t mean K2 is safe, said Heiman, who cites a variety of issues raised by the substance. For one, it’s relatively unstudied. “There’s no one who really knows a whole lot about it,” she said. Heiman also has concerns that the high cost of the substance – which comes in a variety of flavors and potencies – will lead to more crime for those wanting to purchase it. And she sees the same potential issues with K2 as she sees with marijuana: negative health effects, impaired driving, poor decision-making and drug dependency. Erickson said that the potential problems with K2 have Johnson County officials planning a proposal for a change at the state legislative level that would make K2 illegal. “We’re just putting together a proposal,” said Erickson. But that will take time, and Erickson said it’s important for parents to be aware of K2. “If your kids have this and are using it, they’re getting high,” he said.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/no...ncerned-and-i/

I really don't understand how a substance, that is smoked, that is in essence a synthetic marijuana, can be sold to minors, much less be sold to anyone.

I'm not here to debate the whole legalize marijuna thing, because at one time I was all for it, but I've gotten to a point in my life now where I just don't care.

If I saw this article 10 years ago, I'd head right down to that shop and buy $50.00 worth.

Now . . . not interested.

I'm curious about any type of FDA oversight . . . . doesn't something like this have to be approved by the FDA before it can be sold. I see no mention on this in the article.

[Towerkel]

FDA doesn't oversee herbal supplements. Don't know if this falls into that.

[karmeg]

Did the article say the stores sell to minors? I didn't catch that part. They sell the 'herbal blends' all over the place, but from what I know, they aren't supposed to sell to minors, but obviously minors still obtain stuff.

[Strangely Brown]

Originally Posted by karmeg

Did the article say the stores sell to minors? I didn't catch that part. They sell the 'herbal blends' all over the place, but from what I know, they aren't supposed to sell to minors, but obviously minors still obtain stuff.

It doesn't say that they sell to minors, so I can't be sure that they do. But they are obviously getting it.

[Jen]

Minors probably get it the same way I got beer when I was 15...know the right people.

[CJSTora]

Mmmmmmm. Potpourri... (homer drool)

[rewboss]

Originally Posted by Strangely Brown

I really don't understand how a substance, that is smoked, that is in essence a synthetic marijuana, can be sold to minors, much less be sold to anyone.

The "synthetic marijuana" line was a police officer's description, and may not be accurate.

If it's the same thing that we over here call "Spice", it's just been outlawed in Germany, but even here -- where normally what isn't expressly allowed is forbidden -- they had to enact emergency legislation to do it.

[kindnessfirst]

Salvia is another herb that is a very potent hallucinogen ... more potent than LSD that is legal in most states. It's not legal in KS, so you can relax a bit about this one, SB.

Changing the laws about substances is very much a political process. Logic is rarely involved in politics!

[megabucks]

Originally Posted by kindnessfirst

Salvia is another herb that is a very potent hallucinogen ... more potent than LSD that is legal in most states.

Salvia is available at smoke shops near me and a few friends of mine have tried it. No thank you!! I've watched the you tube videos of people getting high off of it and I am all set with that. It's currently still legal here, but not for long, I'm sure.

[Racenut]

One more reason to legalize and tax marijuana

[karmeg]

Originally Posted by Racenut

One more reason to legalize and tax marijuana

Agreed! I don't see much difference between that and alcohol.

[Towerkel]

Originally Posted by karmeg

Agreed! I don't see much difference between that and alcohol.

Big tobacco does...

[Mel]

I am still shocked at how many people smoke marijuana here in California. We have SmokeFests, THC Conventions...you name it. I'm positive our budget crisis could be remedied by taxing it here.