By Scott Harvey
Sulphur Springs – The City of Sulphur Springs hopes to regulate the sale of the controversial substance known as K2.
Council last night approved a first reading prohibiting the sale of K2 to anyone under 21. The item also makes it illegal for the item to be sold within 1,000 feet of protected areas, which include schools, churches, parks, daycare centers or libraries.
"It's all pretty new so we haven't really heard from any parents yet," says Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell. "But the City Council and the Police Department have become aware of it and we'd like to get ahead of the curve on it."
Council will need to approve a second reading next month for the ordinance to become final. Maxwell says by that time, there could be even more restrictions.
"We're not going to be banning it entirely but maybe a greater distance than 1,000 feet. Items previously mentioned included residences [as a restricted area]."
There are three businesses, two inside the city limits and one outside that sell the product. Maxwell says that one business is reportedly letting customers smoke the product on site.
Sold as incense, K2 has gained notoriety as a substitute for marijuana. Although K2 is considered synthetic marijuana, it is sold legally in many parts of the state in the absence of state or federal law preventing its sale or use.