CITY NOT SWEET ON INTOXICATING INCENSE

Known as K-2 and sold under other designer-sounding monikers, a new
synthetic cannibinoid drug has arrived on the market. But it will not
be available for sale in Marshall, where now it is illegal to possess,
use and sell.

"We applaud our city commission for stepping forward and being one of
the first East Texas cities to pass this. It shows their concern for
our city, our citizens and our children," said Assistant Police Chief
Leland Benoit, following the city commission meeting Thursday night.

A new ordinance was passed Thursday night at the Marshall Commission
Meeting amending "Article II. Illegal Smoking Products" of the city's
code to include (by their shortened names): CP47, 497; HU-211;
JWH-018; and JWH-073. Other products in "Article II" are varieties of
known pipes, smoking device and salvia divinorum.

"It is sold as aroma therapy and not for human consumption, but it has
the same effects or greater than marijuana," said Benoit.

The ban is on the chemicals, which are sprayed onto a plant matter and
then smoked. The names of the products may change and already come
with a wide variety of brands: "Spice," "Genie," "Dascents," Zohai,"
"Sage," "K3," "Supernova," "Warlock," "Mr. Smiley," "Sativah,"
"Spirit," "Halo" and even "Gonjah." One California company even
markets theirs directly as "Fake Weed."

"The intention is not to harm businesses," said Benoit. "It has been
sold as a legal product, but we are here to act on something that
could be dangerous. It's available to sell to children with no limit
on ages, but any business that knows the health effects wouldn't want
to."

City commissioners expressed strong disapproval for the marijuana
alternatives, out of public health concern, during their
pre-commission meeting. They questioned Benoit on how the products are
manufactured, marketed and the effects.

The products are marketed as incense and packages are marked as "not
for human consumption" so that they will not be regulated by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration. The odor of the products is sweet, but
with a price tag of $30 for just three ounces, it is not that sweet.

The Allen Police Department's Narcotics Task Force was involved in the
study of the drugs and prepared a PowerPoint presentation to that city
for educational purposes. Marshall Police Department relied on
research conducted by the Allen task force as that city was one of the
first in the state to ban the drugs.

The JWH-018 chemical was developed by Dr. John W. Huffman at Clemson
University in South Carolina, where his research focuses on the two
primary goals of developing new pharmaceutical products and
exploration of the geometry of both the cannabinoid brain and
peripheral receptors.

"Marijuana metabolites are used in drug testing, and THC analogues
show promise for the treatment of nausea, glaucoma and as appetite
stimulants," according to the presentation.

Effects of K-2 reported to APD include "a strong head buzz which
spreads to the body after 20 minutes, almost cannabis-like. Slightly
trippy, occasionally borderline anxiety and paranoia (which usually
fades pretty fast. Main effects soften/weaken into the second hour,
becoming more mellow and spacey, and then buzz finally fades to
nothing within three hours."

A slight ringing of the ears, feelings of vibrations on the head and
body, redness of eyes, cotton-mouth, a feeling of fast body
temperature drops during cold weather, and occasional munchies were
also reported, according to the APD presentation.

Accounts of teenagers requiring hospitalization and extreme behavior
were also included in the APD presentation, which can be found on the
department's Web site.

Where is it legal? Almost everywhere else.

Marshall is one of the first cities in the East Texas area to ban the
synthetic chemicals and the products which contain them, though Allen
has also banned them.

"We should add to our agenda to give support to our state legislature
as they move on this," said Marshall Mayor Buddy Power in response to
Benoit's mention of a current state bill introduced to make the drugs
illegal statewide.

The products are still legal in Texas and at the national level.
However, 11 countries have made designer drugs illegal and several
states have followed suit are Kansas and Kentucky, also Benton County,
Ark. States which have pending legislation are: Illinois, Alabama,
Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Utah.

"During a meeting of the East Texas police chiefs in Kilgore, about
three-fourths of them had issues with K-2, issues on the streets,"
said Benoit. "They asked for us to forward Marshall's ordinance to
them. And if there is anything we can do to help our East Texas
communities, that's what we'll do."

In the meantime, Marshall has not experienced any trouble from K-2 and
the police department hopes there will not be any either.

"We hope with the information provided and the city commission's swift
action on the ordinance that we will not have a problem with it,"
Benoit said.

Officials passed the ordinance as an emergency item and it could be
enforced as early as Aug. 1. Those caught possessing, using or selling
the range of synthetic cannibinoid products could receive a Class C
misdemeanor charge and up to a $2,000 fine under the city's health and
safety code.