Arrests made for selling of synthetic marijuana

Three arrests have been made by the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics United for the alleged sale of spice, the recently banned synthetic marijuana. 

Fifteen random businesses were searched during a ten day period, with no businesses specifically targeted. During the undercover control purchases, two business owners and one worker were arrested, according to Keith Davis, agent in charge with Metro Narcotics.  

Davis said they will continue to search within Lafayette County and crack down on those who are still selling the drug illegally.  He also said that they had several encounters with the substance before, but it had yet to be declared illegal at that point. 

The University Police Department said they haven’t had a problem with the substance on campus so far this school year. 

“I think it is good they are banning mind-altering substances like spice. Anything that falls into that category should be banned,” Ole Miss senior Victoria Meadows said.   

Meadows thinks the substance should be illegal because it has the same effects as non-synthetic weed does.   

Spice, also known as K2, is marketed as a type of incense made of herbs, spices and synthetic cannabinoids. According to Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin, it allegedly produces a high that is two or even four times the high of smoking marijuana but doesn’t last as long. 

It has been found for sale at convenience stores and head shops in the Oxford area. Spice typically ranges from $15 to $30. 

According to Mississippi Criminal Defense Blog, it is now illegal to sell, use or possess synthetic marijuana. On August 27, 2010 the governor signed a bill making it illegal statewide in Mississippi.   

The university’s ban on spice went accordingly to the counties’ on September 1. The city of Oxford made a ban on the substance on August 17.   

Users tend to believe that the drug is a safe alternative to marijuana. However, the contents of spice are unknown, and every batch may contain different things. Spice therefore may possibly be causing more drastic effects.   

“Let me reiterate that this stuff is dangerous and you have no idea what kind of reaction your body could have when used, so we want to try to go ahead and get it off the shelves so people won’t even think about trying it,” Martin said in a previous interview.

The reactions to K2 have been from moderate to severe with things such as nausea, severe headache, diarrhea, and even death in some instances, according to Martin.  

The outlawing of this drug comes after three deaths in the state of Mississippi.