Communities React to Synthetic Marijuana

Worcester, Mass. officials are pushing to ban K2 following 34 overdoses in Manchester, NH

There has been a push for years to get K2, a form of synthetic marijuana, off the shelves of convenience stores around Worcester, Massachusetts.

William Breault, the chair of Worcester's Main South Alliance for Public Safety, looks over his proposal to ban the product.

"There's been thousands and thousands of emergency room admissions for this across the state, there's been suicides because of this product," said Breault.

This is the third time Breault has petitioned for a K2 ban. The city council unanimously voted to ban the product years ago, but several stores in the city still sell it.

Breault says a manufacturer changes one chemical and then puts it back on store shelves.

Just last month, the legislature included regulations in the states budget aimed to close this loophole.

"Makes these chemicals - all chemicals that are in bath salts, K2, Spice - that are being sold in the city of Worcester ... illegal," said Breault.

Ronald Charette heads up the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation, and he supports Breault's proposal. He says many stores disguise K2 as another product to divert attention from it.

"Shame on these merchants who sell it, because they know darn well what they're selling," said Charette. "They know they're not selling incense, they know they're not selling potpori, they're selling drugs."

Charette says people need to be informed K2 is a dangerous substance.

"As a community, we have to educate parents about this," said Charette. "Talk to your kids about it, it's not good, it's death in a package."

With the new state guidelines, Breault says it will be easier for local police to enforce the law.

"The police department now has the authority to go in and take it and confiscate it," said Breault. "The next step that we want to see is to prosecute."

Officials in New Hampshire reported at least 34 overdoses from the drug between Monday and Tuesday. Manchester Police identified Han's Food Mart, Union Street Market and TN Convenience as stores that sold the bubble gum flavor of "Spice," which they said was the primary product causing the overdoses.

Those three stores were immediately closed and their licenses were revoked by the city clerk.

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