Synthetic Marijuana: City Considers Banning New Designer Drug
A legal alternative for smoking marijuana. What is referred to as ?Herbal Spice? may be the newest designer drug on the market but Las Cruces city officials are considering a citywide ban against the substance.
?Marijuana is illegal, spice is not,? Jason Fernandez, owner of Phat Glass in Las Cruces, one of five local stores that sell the drug, said. “It is sold as an incense. What people do is use it as aromatherapy to relax, to calm down.”
It looks like crushed potpourri, and potent blends range from strawberry to blueberry. Spice is comprised of herbs doused with synthetic cannabinoids but the effects of breathing the new designer drug are questionable.
“We don’t know what the long-term effects are when it comes to this sort of a drug,? Las Cruces Police Chief Richard Williams, said. ?Also, it has a lot of the same type of effects we see in marijuana use but it has one additional effect in that it could cause hallucinations.”
Fernandez denied any negative side effects from Spice.
“It is not a hallucinogen, absolutely not, in no way, shape, or form,” Fernandez said.
Spice is burned, not ingested. When lit, the drug offers heightened levels of relaxation, Fernandez said. But Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagashima said for teenagers, it could be a gateway drug to more illicit narcotics.
“I think if it was used in its original form what it was meant to be used as ok, but when you have the opportunity for children to get a hold of it, and emulate something and smoke it, then they could actually hurt themselves and perhaps seriously, then it’s time for the city to take a look and see what we can do about this to protect our youth,” Miyagashima said.
Spice is legal in the state of New Mexico for adults 18 and older. Customers must present photo identification upon entering Phat Glass, Fernandez said.
?Legally I am doing everything I can do to keep this out of hands of youth,” Fernandez said, adding, a citywide ban would be premature without adequate research to backup alleged side effects. “It should be a choice of an individual adult,” Fernandez said.
