FEDS BAN FIVE CHEMICALS USED IN SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration prohibits ingredients used in
K2, Spice while investigating substances; will go into effect in 30 days

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued an emergency ban on
five chemicals used to produce synthetic marijuana, a decision that
will make products like K2 and Spice illegal in less than thirty days.

For the next 12 months, sale or possession of these chemicals and the
products that contain them is illegal as more research is conducted
on the effects and dangers of the substances, DEA spokesperson
Barbara Carreno said.

The products will remain legal until December 24, giving retailers an
opportunity to decide how to sell or remove inventory from their
stores, Carreno said.

Synthetic marijuana is often found in stores and gas stations,
including shops on State Street.

The DEA's decision to issue the ban follows an increase in reported
negative effects of synthetic marijuana, like seizures, that
scientists do not understand, Carreno said.

These differ from the typical effects of regular marijuana use and
are oftentimes more powerful, leading to increased visits to poison
control centers and hospitals.

The synthetic chemicals used to make products like K2 originated from
research labs studying cannabinoids, said John Huffman, a professor
of organic chemistry at Clemson University and developer of multiple
synthetic chemicals, said in an e-mail to The Badger Herald.

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that include THC, the substance
in marijuana that produces a "high" when smoked or ingested, Huffman said.

Since the development of these compounds, people outside research
labs have created them, using them to make and sell synthetic
marijuana products disguised as incense.

Huffman said the effects of these chemicals on humans have not been
studied and people should not use them for consumption or recreation.

With little understanding of these substances, the DEA's ban allows
time for more research while protecting the public, Carreno said.

Over the course of the ban, the Department of Health and Human
Services will examine synthetic marijuana's effects on humans,
including addictiveness and safety, she said.

After one year, they will offer recommendations to the DEA on whether
the chemicals should be controlled, Carreno said. A decision on
whether to make synthetic marijuana permanently illegal will then be made.

While the DEA seeks to stop the use of synthetic marijuana, Gary
Storck, a spokesperson for the National Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws Madison, said he foresees makers of products like
K2 will create different substances that circumvent the DEA's five
chemicals ban.

Storck said synthetic marijuana is a symptom of marijuana prohibition
that would not have surfaced if marijuana was legal.

He added with little known about chemicals in synthetic marijuana,
regular marijuana remains a safer choice because of knowledge of its
effects and its longer history of use.

Storck said he disagreed with the DEA's decision to prohibit more
substances and the decision may hurt small businesses who sell
synthetic marijuana while also creating more work for law enforcement.

But, since small amounts of marijuana are already not a priority for
the DEA or local law enforcement, UW law professor says synthetic
marijuana will probably not become a huge priority either.