While Convenience Stores Stock Up on K2, Hillsborough County Searches for Ways to Ban the Synthetic Drug

The pursuit of the controversial substance called “Spice” or “K2” led to an attempted break-in at the Citgo Service Station at 4330 Lithia-Pinecrest Rd., Valrico, across from River Hills.

Bloomingdale Community Resource Master Deputy Curtis Warren said last month someone used a baseball bat to break the convenience store’s front door but was unable to gain entry.

“The owner identified the guy in a video and we were able to track him down. He admitted to trying to break in to steal K2 from the store,” said Warren.

Warren said convenience stores throughout the county have been selling K2, a synthetic cannabinoid product, as incense or potpourri. However, those purchasing the product aren’t content to use it as an air freshener. Instead, they smoke or inhale the K2.

Since the psychoactive ingredients are similar to those of naturally grown marijuana, the effects are similar. However, synthetic cannabinoids are five times more potent than some of the strongest marijuana. As a result, the synthetic drug has been associated with impaired driving incidents and attempted suicides. Side effects include anxiety, panic attacks, heart palpitations, respiratory complications, aggression, mood swings, altered perception and paranoia.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported 71 overdoses of the drug so far this year.

The synthetic cannabinoid products are manufactured in Asia and then sold in local markets throughout the U.S. including gas stations, liquor stores, convenient stores, smoke shops, or on the Internet under the brand names "K2," "Spice," “Chronic Spice," "Spice Gold," "Spice Silver," "Stinger," "Yucatan Fire," "Skunk," “Pulse," "Black Mamba," “Mystery," "Red X Dawn," "Zohai," "Mr. Nice Guy," “Spicylicious," “K3," “K3 Legal," “Earthquake" or "Genie."

“In effect,” said Warren, “our local convenience stores have become drug dealers.”

A new state law banning 29 chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana will go into effect this fall. However, to skirt the law, manufacturers simply change the ingredients.

Hillsborough County commissioners are now in the process of pursuing a countywide law to ban the substance.

In the meantime, the federal government has stepped in to thwart the manufacturing of the product. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office assisted federal agents last week with the execution of federal search warrants at various locations through Hillsborough County concerning the storage and manufacture of suspected synthetic cannabinoid products.

On July 25, federal agents seized thousands of bags of the produce at locations where it is concocted, dried, mixed with aromatics and packaged for shipment at various locations throughout Hillsborough County.

Agents also seized drums of 200-proof ethyl alcohol, scores of bottles of acetone used in the making of these products, pounds of sacks and bales of leafy material and plants such as mullein leaf and damiana, and various other chemicals and powdery substances.

Most of the facilities were located in Tampa. One was located in Brandon. The agents made no arrests.