Water Valley Takes Initial Steps To Outlaw Synthetic Marijuana
Mayor Larry Hart held up a container of a version called Blaze that was purchased locally.
By Jack Gurner
Reporter
WATER VALLEY – Synthetic marijuana will soon be illegal in the City after Aldermen voted to draft an ordinance banning the sale and possession of the substance.
“It’s an herbal mixture that offers the same or a better high than marijuana,” Mayor Larry Hart said during the Aug. 3 City Board meeting. “It’s known by many names: K2, spice, demon, voodoo, genie, and malaise.”
Hart added that it is being advertised as incense as he held up a container of a version called Blaze that was purchased locally. “On the bottom of the packaging it says sold as incense only, not for human consumption which makes it a bogus deal.”
The Mayor said the he has been told it is all across the state and is being consumed like crazy. “People are really getting after it, those who use this type stuff.”
He added that a lot of municipalities and communities are in the process of banning the substance and the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama already have bans in place. Last month Missouri became the eighth state to enact a ban.
“The State of Mississippi is about to get after this thing in the January session. But, we can deal with this with a local ordinance for the time being,” Hart said. “I regret that this can actually be bought in Water Valley.”
Origins
Clemson University re-searchers originally developed synthetic cannabinoids in an effort to create therapeutic drugs. The cannabinoids have effects akin to THC, the key ingredient in marijuana.
Law enforcement officials warn that since synthetic pot is largely created by individual sellers, it’s anyone’s guess what else is added to the mix.
The stuff is being blamed in at least one death, that of 18-year-old suicide victim in Iowa. There have already been nearly 600 calls to poison-control centers this year. In 2009, there were a mere 13 calls.
Side effects include heart palpitations and breathing problems, experts say. And, the cannabinoids toxicity – not to mention the toxicity of other ingredients – is unknown.
Because it is synthetic, it is difficult to keep tabs on. The cannabinoids used to produce it can be changed with slight laboratory variations, and there are hundreds already out there. And, urine-based detection tests don’t pick up on it.
The products are widely available on the Internet. For $35 to $45, users can buy 3 grams of “herbal incense” with a credit card or PayPal account.
One Internet seller offers a herbal hookah flavoring to go with it called Watermelon that offers “great taste and lots of smoke” for an additional $12.99.
