Macomb County Signs Order Banning K2 Sales
Businesses in violation of the order could face misdemeanor charge punishable by up to six months in jail or a maximum $200 fine.
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Macomb County officials signed an order Monday prohibiting businesses from selling K2 while also launching a public program to curb the synthetic drug's distribution.
"This is a serious problem. It's not going to go away and it's time to take action," said Macomb County Health and Community Services Director Steve Gold before signing the order with county Executive Mark Hackel.
Spice must immediately be removed from shelves
Under the order, businesses that sell K2, also known as Spice, or any other synthetic drug could face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to six months in jail or a $200 fine.
"Our middle schoolers and our high schoolers are getting their hands on this synthetic marijuana," Sheriff Tony Wickersham said. "Macomb County doesn't want this type of stuff in our community. We need to protect our youths."
The order falls under a Michigan public health code act that's used for imminent danger, such as serious diseases, said Gold, adding that it has not been used for legally sold merchandise.
But Hackel says he's not worried about the potential legal challenges to enforcing the order.
"There's always a challenge to the law," he said. "It's about being bold and being right."
He stressed that the county cannot sit on the sidelines while K2 jeopardizes public safety.
The county officials, along with state representatives and other local leaders, held the news conference to announce the K2 ban at the Mobile gas station on North Avenue and 21 Mile in Macomb Township.
Unlike many other gas stations and party stores, the business repeatedly turned away K2 distributors since they began pushing for retailers to stock shelves in 2009 because of the potential health concerns, owner Nader Jawad said.
Citizens can become K2 Kops
The county also launched a program Monday aimed to involve the public. Under the initiative, a citizen can report establishments that sell K2 or any synthetic drug by visiting www.markhackel.com. Reported businesses may then be inspected by a health official and officer who will verify the complaint. If violating the order, the owner could then be charged with a misdemeanor or fined and the drug will be confiscated.
Owners who voluntarily remove Spice from the shelves can register their businesses on the website, declaring they do not sell the drug. They can also download a window sign showing their participation.
Hackel says he hopes public pressure motivates retailers to stop selling Spice.
"Personally, if I see that there is a place that is selling this product in their store, I wouldn't even buy a stick of gum," he said.
The county action is coming after K2 opponents have been pushing for a ban across the state. In Macomb County, hundreds of people rallied against the drug last weekend in Shelby Township. An initiative to ban Spice in the township has been put on hold in light of the Monday's order that will affect all Macomb County communities, including Shelby, township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said.
Stathakis said that the township alone has approximately 250 parents and citizens dedicated to stopping Spice from being sold.
"We're on the look out, we're watching and we will do what we need to do to make sure this goes away," he said.
lynn r
5:18 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
While I applaud this step in the right direction, I think the maximum fine of a mere $200 is ridiculous. Store owners can make way more by continuing to sell the stuff. I think the penalty should be harsher, considering what this drug is doing.
Altrag
12:28 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I think the whole nation is missing the point. We've labeled K2 as the "big hairy monster" when in all reality the sole reason for this unapproved product's invention was prohibition of marijuana. If marijuana were legal (or at least decriminalized) these products wouldn't exist. The "gateway drug" argument is yet another symptom of prohibition, forcing what would be a soft drug user to go to the very same guy that sells the hard drugs.
If only there were a safe alternative to marijuana alternatives...
Matt Guarnieri
5:30 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
This is what I'm talking about. The county can ban the distribution a substance for health concerns immediately with an executive order. Now... the army of parents just need to report any business in Macomb selling the substance to anyone, not just teens.
John Jamison
8:39 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Who is going to enforce it Matt? Local police enforce city, federal, state laws and the ordinances of their jurisdiction. They don't enforce county laws....matter of fact there is no county law. This is nothing but a piece of paper with no teeth.
Jeffery Berz
10:19 am on Monday, June 18, 2012
Well john it appears that Sheriff “RICK” has donned his white hat and is going to be the enforcer for Shelby Township. Of course that will only last as long as the media is around to take his picture.
People also need to thank Trustee Lisa Manzella for getting an ordinance out there so quickly WITH the proper verbiage that makes it illegal to possess K2 along with selling it. Trustee Flynn didn’t really understand what he was trying to present to the township. He only had the intention of sidelining Mrs. Manzella’s ordinance.
John Jamison
8:41 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
It is just like the no smoking law in bars.....no one enforces it. The Health Department enforces those complaints and that is laughable.
Hopefully, Lisa Manzella can get her proposed ordinance so Shelby Twp can be the first with an ord that has teeth to it.
Dagmar VanSlyke
9:53 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
YES!!! FINALLY!!! and John, who isn't enforceing the no smoking law in bars? Every bar I have been to I can't smoke....
Thomas Delise
10:28 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
This $tathaki$ guy,is like where's Waldo.
Thomas Delise
10:44 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Please tell me he cares,and it's just not because it's an election year !
Looks to me like he jumped on board with the ban once the cameras started rolling'
Matt Guarnieri
12:12 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Where's Leman in all of this.... he didn't even bother to collect even one of his candidate signature for himself. he only shows up at board meeting with his puppet master John Nightingale. Mr. Delise, you never even comment on the subject, I believe you don't even care about drugs and teens, just if you can get and keep your corrupt politicians friends in control of our tax dollars.
John Jamison
10:29 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
You aren't going to the right bars.
Jeff Wiggsley
10:54 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Here we go again...Don't you ignorant humans learn anything about prohibition?
Any parent who has children that are using this drug, have failed as parents. So what do you do when you fail? Cry to the government to do the parenting for you. I'm 110% sure that any teens that used or died from this drug, have already been involved in cigs, drugs, their parents Rx drugs, and/or alcohol before ever touching the spice. And why? Because their parents are failures. If you would have been better parents, you would have educated your children about the dangers of drugs, cigs and alcohol. So guess what happens now? You ban the spice and it goes to black market. You've just added another drug to the cartels list of products. Cartels and drug dealers bring even more crime including murder. You really want to stop spice? Legalize, tax, restrict to age of 21, and regulate marijuana....just like you did to alcohol. Are you telling me alcohol is different? If you are, then you are one of the ignorant parents who abuse alcohol and prescription drugs yourself. Where the heck do you think your children learned how to abuse these chemicals?
Matt Guarnieri
12:18 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
I think making it more difficult for teens to acquire is key. You have to agree to some degree that all the prohibition laws for teens (minors) are within reason.... Nothing anyone can do if someone over 18 wants to screw themselves up.
I am thinking 21 might be a better age for smoking laws though.... that's just me.
Katrina Magda
2:45 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
I Totally agree with you Jeff, as i'm a mother of 7 and if my child got into drugs the last persons fault it would be was who sold it to him!!! It would be on me as the parent > all this is someone trying to not own up for their own mistakes and pass blame to someone else!!! Where are the parents these days? When these kids are #1buying the drugs or #2 doing them....#3 hurting themselves or someone else???? Oh this is getting deep lets just blame the government and award these parents of the year!! ITS CALLED ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
Sammy V.
8:00 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
I agree, Jeff. Lazy, ignorant, irresponsible parents with irresponsible kids.
And if you only need to be 18 to kill people with a government issued M-16 (or have your limbs blown off by an I.E.D.), then you should only have to be 18 years old to drink/gamble/whatever other "freedoms" adults are given in this country.
Steve
9:40 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
I don't use any drugs, prescription drugs or abuse alcohol but my child caved into peer pressure. We know something was wrong after the first time got a test from walgreens and he passed the test. After further questioning he admitted to trying with friends. So if you don't think this could happen to you you are mistaken
Dave
2:13 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
Jeff .. you're a little hard on the parents here aren't ya? I agree prohibition doesn't work and never has. If it were up to me drug stores would sell drugs and gas stations would sell gas and convience stores would sell convience items. Put all drugs into the drugstores and allow people to purchase this stuff or anything else that a legitimate drug store would sell. Anyone think a real drug store would touch this poison?
So, no Jeff..i can't put the blame on the parents when stores are allowed to sell products not for human consumption as if they were safe synthetic anything. I have to blame the store owners seeing the deception that has been what they were selling.. not an incense or bath salt. And knowing how addictive this poison is.. i still have to blame the stores and the manufacturers for purposely making it addictive. I could spray some nicotine on a handfull of lawn clippings and make it so you'd get high and addicted too. But that would kill people.. that's why i don't.. cause it's illegal.
Now as for this going straight into the black market.. what's preventing it from being in the black market now? Nothing.. they can make it in the store basement if they wanted, and i'm willing to bet they have a supply ready to sell out the back door or their homes. I guarantee you they planned this to be banned once they built up their customer base of addicts. Only kids would of bought this crap even on the black market. Now they got em, now they can go dark.
Lilly
12:11 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Jeff go climb a tree ...this stuff is bad and if you have never seen anyone smoke it ..welll blow it out your nose pal cause I have. Real stuff NEVER KILLED anyone. But this stuff is legal and natural stuff is not ??? wtf
jholeton jr
1:47 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Unfortunately, this problem is going to go underground. You can still buy this stuff by the bulk on the internet. All that you need is a gift card from CVS. Hopefully, the Legislation that Pete Lund proposed will take this factor into effect. Id like to see this stuff banned today in Michigan & outlawed tomorrow in the U.S.. Do you know that some sicko actually sprays some of this stuff with rat poison and/or mercury? Who would do that to another human being?
Katrina Magda
2:53 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
But I totally agree this crap should be banned from any shelf in any store... But the matter of fact it is sold in stores and until its pulled off it is up to us parents to totally be involved with who and what they are doing!
Sammy V.
8:06 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Every parent should now ask themselves: is my kid going to be the next "White Boy Rick"?
Some kids are going to pool their money to buy a bulk order of Spice online. They will resell the stuff to their friends and classmates. They will make a lot of money and get in a lot of trouble. And surely enough, the kid's parents will say, "I had no idea. Johnny's always been a good boy... I guess maybe I should have realized my kid acting bat-crap crazy for 12-straight hours was a result of this new drug I been hearing about."
Craig S
8:53 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
We need to boycott any business this is or ever has sold this stuff. Lets put them out of business. This will send a message to other businesses. They'll realize the cost is much greater than $200. We need an easily accessible published list of anyone who has sold this. Boycott them all FOREVER!
David Weaver
11:59 am on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Jeff, Katrina, Sammy......you are totally wrong. Look at the Cipriano kid in Farmington. He is quoted as saying how sorry he is and that he loved his parents. Authorities close to the situation all claim the Cipriano parents did all the correct things but this kid was wired wrong from the start. Remember, he was adopted and not their blood child but they loved him, cared for him, and diid all they knew how. There three other birth children thus far have shown none of the traits the accused boy has. Parents should be blamed in some cases but not all.
Sammy V.
12:31 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Adoption is a legit excuse.
Kyle Truby
12:03 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
where can i buy this now that its banned in macomb?
Dave
2:32 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
tobacco store on cass kyle.. called smokers only. Don't know if they got any left but they were selling it yesterday. Call em!
You guys know that you're not looking at the problem either... blaming the parents or even teachers or the kids peers isn't appropriate in this situation. Blame the manufacturers who purposely falsely marketed dangerous addictive narctotics to our children. Then blame the parents for not paying any attention after their kids were already addicted. I hardly believe any of the parents were asked for money to go to the store to buy this stuff on the kids first trip to the store. Nope.. the entire world was fooled by calling this drug synthetic marijuana and marketing it as a safe alternative to an illegal drug. WHICH IT'S NOT!! And i guarantee you that was no accident either... it's associated with weed for many more reasons than just tricking the kids.. they duped the DEA, local police agencies, some unknowing store owners as to the real dangers, and most importantly.. our government agencies which regulate the real marketplace.
If we got to place blame.. i'm gonna blame the people who came up with this trillon dollar murder scheme. And yes they make more than a trillon a year worldwide with this poison. It'll have to be banned worldwide in order to even phase these criminals.. and even that works to their favor.
Matt Guarnieri
12:15 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti..... I saw a news program last night.... they are raising prices and selling out of the stuff..... Just nothing to do, can't ever stop crazy people from being crazy. I just want those under 18 to have a tougher time getting access to all harmful substances.
Dave
2:46 pm on Friday, June 8, 2012
Ditto Matt.. I would love to see this done properly for once. If it were legal to buy drugs at drugstores then there would be no underground market in these gas stations and convience stores. Not that a legitimate drug store would have to sell any product they thought was unsafe or unpure.. just that they would be the best venue to regulate drugs in. Leave it up to supply and demand to get rid of this sheit.. and since they wanted to associate this crap with weed. Put weed in the legitimate drugstores for medicinal uses too. Give em the competition they were trying to lock out by pretending to be it. Believe me.. Hemp is more than a trillon dollar a year crop if they'd just legalize that. Weed alone would be more than a trillon dollars of our american money that we could keep in america if they did it properly. I would love to see the age limit for minors raised to 19 though. Not to be mean to 18 yo's.. but it's just too easy for an 18 yo to take it to high school. Not so easy for college kids..