Virginia is taking its stand against synthetic marijuana. The Senate passed a bill against it with a vote of 37-0 last Friday. The House of Delegates voted 98-0 last Monday to prohibit its possession and sale.
The substance, more widely known as Spice or K2, is intended to simulate the effects of pot, but it has been linked to side effects such as seizure, comatose, and hallucinations. It consists of dried herbs sprayed with psychoactive chemicals and it is being marketed as “herbal incense” in head shops, tobacco shops, convenience stores, and gas stations.
If approved and signed into law by the governor, the bill in the Senate or the one in the House of Delegates would make the purchase, possession and sale of the substance illegal by July 1st. The Senate’s bill would treat synthetic marijuana similar to the real thing and has stronger penalties.
Under the Senate’s bill, considered a Class 1 misdemeanor would be possession and possession with intent to distribute less than a half ounce. Manufacturing and possession with intent to distribute more than a half ounce would be a felony. The House bill would consider synthetic marijuana under the classification Schedule 1 controlled substance, along with marijuana and heroin.
Tags: fake marijuana, fake pot, k2, spice, synthetic marijuana, synthetic pot, synthetic pot bill
