McCracken County to consider banning new kind of synthetic pot
In response to several teenagers overdosing on it, officials in McCracken County are considering banning chemicals that are being sold as synthetic marijuana.
“Death is a realistic side effect when using this stuff,” said Jamey Locke, emergency director for Mercy Regional Hospital.
Between July 10 and Aug. 21, 17 people — 13 of them teenagers — were taken to hospitals by ambulance after having smoked synthetic marijuana. “In almost every case they ended up in ICU,” McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden said.
An ordinance will be introduced Nov. 14 at a Fiscal Court meeting. It would outlaw the sale or possession of the new synthetic marijuana. Although Kentucky has previously banned certain types of synthetic marijuana, “It appears manufacturers have changed the chemical composition to meet that requirement,” The Associated Press reports. (Read more)