Cops: Imitation pot as bad as the real thing

[cory777]

Source: AP

By SARAH D. WIRE, Associated Press Writer Sarah D. Wire, Associated Press Writer – 38 mins ago

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – There may be nothing like the real thing, but some industrious marijuana users have seized on an obscure but easily accessible substance that mimics the drug's effects on the brain — creating a popular trade in legal dope that has stymied law enforcement authorities.

The users are buying a product known as K2 — or "Spice," Genie" and "Zohai" — that is commonly sold in head shops as incense. Produced in China and Korea, the mixture of herbs and spices is sprayed with a synthetic compound chemically similar to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Users roll it up in joints or inhale it from pipes, just like the real thing.

Though banned in most of Europe, K2's key ingredients are not regulated in the United States — a gap that has prompted lawmakers in Missouri and Kansas to consider new legislation.

"This isn't Jerry Garcia's marijuana," said state Rep. Jeff Roorda, a Democrat from the eastern Missouri town of Barnhart. "They've used chemicals to avoid creating something that's already illegal."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_truly_wacky_weed

[Oregone]

1. Oh, ok, so you mean not bad at all?

[Therellas]

2. watch this video.its pretty funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuSCUEwTyr0

[provis99]

3. so it's bad, because it makes you feel good.

I hate the Puritan/Calvinist culture that we have, where you're not really enjoying yourself unless you're suffering and feeling bad.

[Initech]

4. Reminds me of a Mitch Hedburg line:

"I smoked fake weed with Peter Frampton. That's pretty cool. Almost as cool as smoking real weed with a guy that kind of looks like Peter Frampton."

[babydollhead]

5. I love Mitch Hedburg!

"I keep trying to go to Target, and missing"

[Initech]

6. "An escalator can never break, it can only become stairs!"

:rofl:

[Therellas]

8. "sorry for the.. convenience" ....

yeah he was awesome.

[Initech]

11. Actually my favorite Hedburg quote:

"You cant please everybody all the time, and last night all those people were at my show!"

[Hugabear]

16. Hedburg was a friggin comedy genius

AFAIC, he stands up there with the comedy greats like Carlin.

[Swamp Rat]

18. I miss both of them

Two of my favorites

[w8liftinglady]

7. i wonder if it shows up on a drug screen?

[Incitatus]

9. bad as the real thing = good as the real thing?

[Therellas]

10. they are trying to skew it like that but...

....it isn't cannabis.
its garbage.
"mimic the effect"?
that could be mint or kava kava.
but its chemicals.
this product has been around for a WHILE.
im sure with whats goin on in cali sales were up up across the country for a while.
seems like its more scary stories.

[Hugabear]

12. If it makes you feel good, and it doesn't involve church, then it's bad.

'Nuff said.

[Yurovsky]

15. well said...

why can't people just back the fuck off and let other people get high if they want to?

As long as you're not driving or committing an actual crime, why shold anyone care?

[Chisox08]

13. It's O'Dweeds mon

It taste like the chronic but it's not

[KittyWampus]

14. they just made it more attractive to kids.

[G_j]

17. my only problem is hearing "synthetic compound" & "produced in China" in the same sentence -nt

[Regret My New Name]

19. heh zactly...

I dunno, I think people should stick to the natural real stuff... This stuff just sounds freaky and scary. But I'm weird and not a fan of ingesting synthetic compounds made in China, and try to avoid it if possible.

[tritsofme]

20. Who would smoke a synthetic compound made in China?

That just sounds horrible.

Sounds like this thing should be illegal, but criminalizing a plant like cannabis is just silly.

[bamacrat]

21. I can't wait until this generation of dumbass people are out of power.

I thought the baby boomers would legalize it but I guess it will be up to us kids of the boom.

[babydollhead]

23. My messege to the YOUTH

We fucked up. We admit it. They raised us to be apathetic losers. We became parents even though we saw how it was going. You must listen! Take charge fix the planet! lean on each, become communities, make love and watch your own babies play on the grass and smile at it all. I nod off, I will not remember even saying this to you.

[Homer Wells]

25. Ain't it the TRUTH!!

Sadly, there were far more Niedermeyers in the Baby Boom generation than there were Bluto Blutarskis!!

:puke:

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

22. plenty of stupid to go around

I'm not sure which group is most deserving of the Idiot King award here: the ones making it, the people using it or the law enforcement officers busting it.

Of course, people wouldn't even be interested in trying this garbage if they had access to safe, legal medicine.

[Romulox]

24. Pot is a non-toxic substance with no known OD level. Is the same true of "K2"?

I'd be lying if I said I weren't curious, but I don't think I could put that stuff in my body ("K2", "spice", etc.)

[Javaman]

26. The real reason why they say it's bad is because you can't detect it

with a drug test. LOL

Can't detect it, can't arrest people, can't arrest people, no funding.