K2 or Synthetic Cannabis is being sold in Lawrence County and has shown up in the Imboden Area.

K2 is a herbal smoking blend made of herbs and spices sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids (notably JWH-018) which mimic the effects of cannabis. City, County and State Law Enforcement are well aware of this product that is produced in China and Korea and efforts are in the works to ban sales in Lawrence County.

Fragrance types like “k-2 pink” or “k-2 blonde”, are the various “scent” names that K2 is packaged under.

In our investigation concerning this substance we learned that it was being sold in more than one store in the Hoxie/Walnut Ridge Area but we did not find any being sold in the Imboden area. The package has no warnings to speak of and in one shop it was sold to anyone regardless of age.

Sheriff Ellison Monday night told the Quorum Court about local efforts to stop the sale and use. The state of Kansas is the first state to outlaw the substance statewide although some cities in Arkansas and Missouri have chosen to place city bans. Missouri plans on passing a state law that could take effect as soon as August 28th 2010.

A warning to users, “Under the DWI/DUI law, a person commits the offense even if he/she is intoxicated on any legal drug”. K2 was recently made illegal in the United Kingdom in December but is still legal in Canada.

Missouri toxicology reports on drivers caught using the K2 showed the “Psychophysical impairment on their driving was profound”. The Missouri Safety Center Report claims the 5 or 6 componds used to produce this product causes a high more powerful than cannabis.

Deputies in our area have already encountered use of this product locally. St.Louis Area Hospitals have reported several cases of adverse reactions to the drug almost as soon as it began circulating in the area.

Sheriff Ellison plans to present the Quorum Court with a presentation of an ordinance at the May meeting.