The city of Grain Valley joined Oak Grove in recently banning a herbal incense that is being smoked by people to get high.
The board of aldermen on Monday night approved an ordinance that bans the substance K2, an incense that, when smoked, has the same effect as marijuana. It can be found at convenience stores.
The Grain Valley Police Chief Aaron Ambrose brought the issue to the attention of the board because of the “growing health concern” in Grain Valley and surrounding cities, said city administrator Gary Bradley.
K2 has a potent chemical called THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) that gives the person the feeling of being high.
But the level of THC is three to five times higher in K2 than in marijuana. Evidence has shown K2 to have the potential to damage the lungs, brain, heart and other organs and health experts don’t know the long-term dangers of the synthetic marijuana.
Oak Grove banned the substance at a meeting June 7. Odessa has banned the substance as well.
“As some of the other communities were passing similar ordinances, we obviously had a concern that without a similar ordinance, Grain Valley would be known as the place to go for that material,” Bradley said.
The Apple Trail Travel Center on Buckner Tarsney Road was selling the incense, Bradley said.
The General Assembly passed a measure that placed a statewide ban on K2, also called “Spice” and “Genie.” But Gov. Jay Nixon has not signed the bill that makes it a law. If signed, the law will go into effect Aug.28.
“If it’s worth stopping, it’s worth stopping now,” Bradley said of the board’s rationale as to why it enacted the ordinance.
