Legislation in the news- K2

The Kansas State Legislature has introduced two bills to address a concern regarding K2, a synthetic cannabinoid that is marketed as incense which when smoked, produces a marijuana-like high. House Bill 2411 and Senate Bill 348 would each add K2 to the controlled substances list. Three chemicals in K2 contribute to its effect on the user: JWH-018 and JWH-073 and HU-210.

You can find the full text of these bills at http://www.kslegislature.org/ by clicking on "full text of bills" and entering the bill number.

You can find the status of these bills by going to http://www.kslegislature.org/, click on "bills" from the menu at the upper left, then click on "single bill tracking." There you can enter the bill number and you will be given a list of all the actions taken on the bill.

The Kansas Statute that lists the controlled substances is KSA 65-4105 and may also be found on http://www.kslegislature.org/. House Bill 2411 and Senate Bill 348 would add K2, also named "Spice," to this list.

News coverage of the legislation:

In the University Daily Kansan:
http://www.kansan.com/news/2010/jan/21/legislature-k2/?news

In the Kansas City Star:
http://www.kansascity.com/news/neighborhood/olathe/story/1679879.html

In the Lawrence Journal-World:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jan/18/coalition-calls-further-study-legislators-ban-k2/

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jan/19/k2-proponents-urge-lawmakers-think-twice-banning-m/?kansas_legislature

Topeka Capital-Journal:
http://cjonline.com/news/local/2009-12-06/herbal_incenses_scrutinized

http://cjonline.com/news/legislature/2010-01-13/k2_ban_moves_ahead

More information on K2:

Report of the Kansas Health Institute:
http://www.khi.org/news/2010/jan/13/health-committee-votes-criminalize-pot-substitute/

Annual Report of the Drug Enforcement Administration- Office of Diversion Control:
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/nflis/2008annual_rpt.pdf


Reports from this office regarding the individual chemicals within K2:
JWH-018 http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/spice/spice_jwh018.htm
JWH-073 http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/spice/spice_jwh073.html
HU-210 http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/spice/spice_hu210.htm

Report by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration:
http://www.justice.gov/dea/programs/forensicsci/microgram/mg0309/mg0309.pdf

Report by the National Institutes of Health regarding possible medical uses for cannabinoids
http://www.nih.gov/news/medmarijuana/MedicalMarijuana.htm#CLINICAL

Article contact: Kim Harp