K2 — a concoction of dried herbs sprayed with chemicals — is illegal in Oklahoma, but is sold online and in some mom-and-pop type stores. Smoking the so-called synthetic marijuana has been blamed in several deaths, including possibly that of a 51-year-old Tulsa man earlier this month. Associated Press file
Controlling the distribution and use of synthetic marijuana throughout Oklahoma has been a battle law enforcement agencies and lawmakers have fought since the drug first surfaced in the state in 2008.
Even though legislation has been passed in recent years banning hundreds of dangerous chemicals found in the modified drug, that hasn't stopped fake pot from being mass produced.
"I wouldn't call it an epidemic, but it is a fad like any other drug," said Cpl. Jeff Organ with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.
The health risks associated with the drug - often called K2, spice or potpourri - range from respiratory difficulties and convulsions to hallucinations and even death.
Earlier this month, 51-year-old David King was found dead at an apartment complex in the 5100 block of South Wheeling Avenue.
King's roommate told Tulsa police on Sept. 4 that the two had been smoking K2 for several days. The state Medical Examiner's Office has not determined an official cause of King's death.
The product, an herb sprayed with various chemicals, is illegal in Oklahoma. It is sold online or inside mom-and-pop shops for $25 to $60, Organ said.
Since June 1, the Oklahoma Poison Control Center has received 26 calls from state hospitals on human synthetic marijuana exposures, according to director Scott Schaeffer.
In 2010, Oklahoma had 10 known cases, Schaeffer said. That number spiked to 165 in 2011.
"We used to be flooded with calls," he said.
Schaeffer says the reduction in calls to the Oklahoma City-based center can be attributed to hospitals being more accustomed to handling the patients who display symptoms associated with synthetic marijuana use.
In the wake of the severe health risks tied to the drug, sales of the substance have been restricted in at least 40 states, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
A 2011 law requested by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control added 21 new chemical compounds to a growing list of illegal substances found in synthetic marijuana and similar drugs.
Bureau spokesman Mark Woodward said attempting to get a handle on synthetic marijuana has been "a cat- and-mouse game."
With more than 200 illegal chemical compounds on the list, manufacturers of the drug routinely create new synthetics not listed and continue selling it, he said.
Organ said Oklahoma Drug Task Force units have increased inspections at stores throughout Oklahoma and aggressively targeted businesses that sell synthetic drugs.
In recent months, agents have seized synthetic drugs from a convenience stores in Tahlequah and Wagoner.
Woodward said buyers, who range in age from 14 to 24, believe these products are safe alternatives to street drugs because they are sold in local convenience stores and feature images of cartoon characters on the packaging.
"Stores now are selling the drug with images of Sponge Bob or Scooby Doo on it," he said.
An official with Operation Aware of Oklahoma, which provides youth education programs for 250 schools in northeast Oklahoma aimed at preventing use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, says even the middle school students are aware of synthetic marijuana.
"These drugs are very dangerous," Executive Director Jeni Dolan said. "We've seen kids have major problems."
To combat the usage among minors, Dolan explained the importance of parents actively monitoring their child's behavior.
"We have to educate them on what the risk factors are," she said. "If they are willing to try K2 now, then what's stopping them from trying cocaine or something else later? We don't want to see that."
Kendrick Marshall 918-581-8386
kendrick.marshall@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: A different kind of drug
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