Cedar Park considers ban on 'Spice'

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) - In its meeting Thursday night, the Cedar Park City Council began considering banning the use, purchase, possession and sale of currently legal marijuana-like drugs or synthetic Cannabinoid known as K-2 - or "Spice."

"We consider ourselves a family-friendly community and this is just something we're looking at as a way to protect our youth," said Melanie Carr, Cedar Park communications manager.

Cedar Park Chief of Police Henry Fluke said that while the city hasn't seen a problem with K-2 and other drugs like it yet, the change in the ordinance is an effort to be proactive.

"The benefit of the city ordinance is public education and by public education hopefully people would be deterred of its use," he said.

Some states and cities have already banned it, including Dallas. A statewide ban could also move through the Texas Legislature in the upcoming session.

Fluck is a member of the Texas Police Chief Association. This summer the group approached State Sen. Florence Shapiro about passing legislation.

"I think we have to overcome the marketing efforts right now that our young people are subjected to," said Fluck. "These substances have a good marketing tool right now and it's not illegal."

The drug is also known as K-2, K-2 Summet, K-2 Sex, Genie, Dascents, Zohai, Sage, Spice, KO Knock-Out, Spice Gold, Spice Diamond, Yucatan Fire, Solar Ice, Pep Spice, Fine N' Ice and Salvia Divinorum.

In May, KXAN News reported emergency rooms across Austin and surrounding areas were seeing a growing problem with the use of the substance. A user said using Spice made him feel anxious, panicky and paranoid.

"The word 'high' does not describe what I felt. What I felt was not good. I didn't; for lack of a better term, I felt like I was fighting my body," said an undentified former user.

In Cedar Park, they want to protect their youth from the same dangers. The City Council plans to vote on the proposed ordinance at their meeting on Sept. 9. So far, it looks like the ban will pass.