O'FALLON, MO (KTVI - FOX2now.com)—
Possessing fake pot will soon be as illegal in Missouri as owning marijuana is. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed House Bill 1472 Tuesday in a ceremony at the St. Charles Sheriff Department's office in O'Fallon. The legislation adds synthetic marijuana sold with brand names like "K2" to the list of controlled substances.The measure also outlaws nitrites known as "poppers" which teens are known to inhale. It becomes law on August 28.
"K2 is unsafe and has serious potential for abuse, especially by children," the governor said. Nixon praised St. Charles County leaders for passing a county ordinance banning "K2" last March. Law enforcement officers had discovered children under age 18 were buying the fake pot at gas stations and convenience stores.
Superintendent of the Highway Patrol Ron Replogle echoed the governor. "I also appreciate the local officials here in St . Charles County bringing this to the forefront at their level which certainly helped us at the state level to be able to pass this legislation," Replogle said. He became concerned about the fake pot when his college age son told him "everybody is doing it, dad."
Nixon described the chemical treated herb as "this is an attempt, a clever attempt to provide a dangerous high legally and whoever was doing it was trying to get around the law." He said he expected there would be alternative substances invented in the future that lawmakers would have to add to the prohibited list. "We stand ready to continue to protect especially kids from these types of substances that can cause significant and lasting problems," Nixon promised.
