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It seems a lot of young people are getting high on a product called spice, which in its various packaged forms can be legally purchased. That, in KSL's view, should change.
A KSL investigative report earlier this year introduced viewers to this "synthetic" marijuana that is legally sold in smoke shops and convenience stores, ostensibly as incense. But the herbs used for spice are "spiked" with a manufactured chemical that is similar to THC - the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Not surprisingly, people are turning to spice to get high without necessarily breaking the law.
The Utah County Commission recently outlawed spice within its jurisdiction. Earlier this year, Hill Air Force Base sent a strong message by discharging seven airmen for using spice. And a number of law enforcement agencies are calling for a statewide ban on the sale of spice products.
Indeed, a ban on this relatively new drug seems a no-brainer. Lawmakers should do it next session.
But even with a ban, society should be prepared to deal with other spice- type products that are sure to surface in an age where creative minds continue to develop synthetic designer drugs to skirt existing laws. The spice phenomenon, in KSL's view, provides a very worrisome glimpse into the future of recreational drug abuse.
