
By Staff Writer
A small county in Indiana recently banned the sale of synthetic marijuana within the community. As lawmakers consider legislation to possibly forbid the use of such substances, including K2 and Spice, county officials felt it was best to get a head start, The Brazil Times reports.
County Sheriff Mike Heaton said that the products are legal at this time, but their health effects are not currently known. A major reason for instituting the ban was how easily accessible it has been to the county's youth, according to the news source.
Heaton added that synthetic marijuana products like K2 have not been tested by the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other government agencies that regulate human consumption. With other counties in the state already adopting similar prohibitive ordinances, local officials also wanted to prevent the potential for trafficking the product into areas where the ban is in effect.
In addition, Heaton said that officials are looking into the possibility of creating a separate ordinance that would prohibit Salvia in the county.
The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that mental health problems, including depression, developmental lags, apathy, withdrawal and other psychosocial dysfunctions, are frequently linked to substance abuse among adolescents.