Synthetic Marijuana Legal; State Representatives Want It Banned

A new drug trend could be making it's way into the Alleghenies and police want to stop it before it becomes a problem.

Right now the synthetic marijuana, commonly called K2 or Spice, is legal to buy. It can be found in truck stops and most popularly online.

Bedford County State Police Trooper Warren Rhyner is the first drug recognition expert in Bedford County.

Rhyner recently found out about the drug in training. Rhyner said it's any plant dried and doused with liquid chemicals and is sold online as incense.

People aren't using it for incense, Rhyner said. People are smoking it and the drug is causing horrific health problems, including fast heart rate, confusion, nausea, agitation, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, hallucinations and seizures, he said.

Rhyner said K2 smells like burning garbage when it's smoked.

Rhyner said while it's legal buy it's not legal to drive under the influence of any drug and users can be charged.

State Representatives our of Harrisburg are working to ban the synthetic drug for the state of Pennsylvania.