LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) -
It’s a product that causes wild irrational behavior among those who use it illegally: Synthetic marijuana, or K-2.
Always labeled as ‘not for human consumption,’ it continues to be a problem for East Texas law enforcement agencies. It’s highly addictive, and East Texas police have seen first-hand what K-2 does to those who are on it.
“There’s no one way it makes people act. It makes people act differently. It’s like a Jekyll and Hyde. They can be very compliant, then all of the sudden just totally freak out,” says Longview police officer Kristie Brian.
Sold as incense or potpourri, it’s a dangerous hallucinogen.
“Definitely a problem we’re seeing. Synthetic marijuana, originally K-2 was kind of a brand name. It is real nasty. You’ve got to be educated about it,” says Kilgore police officer Roman Roberson.
Though law enforcement agencies have done everything they can to police the sale and use of K-2, it continues to be sold. And for a very simple reason: Producers keep changing the formula to make it legal.
The problem is, though most cites have ordinances and the state bans some ingredients, it finds its way back.
“It’s really due to the manufacturing process, a leafy substance they spray chemicals on that people smoke or ingest. We see a lot of issues. We’re very aggressive if we find a store that’s selling synthetic marijuana, we’re going to investigate it,” Roberson says.
Whole communities have come out against the sale of it. The worry is that it will find its way in the hands of kids.
“We find juveniles in possession of synthetic marijuana we’re going to look into that and determine where they acquired it from,” says Roberson.
“The people that are selling it is where it has to stop. Unfortunately, people are going to smoke it and as long as it’s available, it’s going to continue to be very big problem for law enforcement and the medical field as well,” Brian says.
Those arrested for smoking K-2 can be charged with possession of an illegal substance, public intoxication or a class C misdemeanor.
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Synthetic marijuana brings problems for E. Texas law enforcement
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