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A synthetic form of marijuana called K2 has mushroomed in popularity in the past year. So far, it’s legal in all but six states, but lawmakers in several others are pushing to ban this copycat cannabis.
We're analyzing coverage of the K2 phenomenon from MSNBC, Fox News, the New York Times, ABC and CBS.
Washington Post staff writer Michael Savage explains on MSNBC why the drug is a safety concern.
“So you can see this thing appears to be growing in popularity, and that’s caused some lawmakers in some states just to say, ‘We’re not taking any chances with this. We’re just going to outlaw it.' ... We have very little information about how this stuff is made, which is causing concern from toxicologists and the DEA. We don’t know how much of the chemical is sprayed on, and there’s lots of different chemicals that have the same effect, so we just don’t know the long-term effects that this has.”
Texas Sen. Florence Shapiro explains on Fox News another safety concern about K2 — it’s not meant for people:
“The man that actually discovered it in 1995 said, ‘It’s only been tested on mice. We have no idea what the long-term effects are. ... It’s actually sold some places as some places as a potpourri or some sort of an incense, yet they are using it for human consumption, and so the results, obviously, are devastating because we don’t have full understanding of what it is.”
The New York Times explains one reason users are willing to risk using a drug in which the side effects are largely unknown.
“...many users say they are undaunted by reports of negative reactions to the drug. K2 does not show up on drug tests, and users say that while they would like to know what is in it, they would take their chances if it means a clean urine test.”
Another concern is the increasing availability of the drug. Good Morning America explains.
“Buyers must be 18, but these 16-year-olds, whose faces we’ve hidden, tell us their underage peers regularly smoke it.”
DEA officer Gary Boggs explains to CBS News: just because K2 is legal shouldn’t make people feel safe using it.
“The fact that they’re legal really is almost irrelevant. People are just, they’re basically playing Russian roulette with these every single time they take them.”
So what do you think? Is banning K2 a buzzkill?
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