Local residents soon won’t be able to get their hands on a substance called K2 or spice from Shelby County retailers.
Shelby County Commissioners on Tuesday passed an ordinance banning the sale of any substance that contains synthetic cannabinoids, often sold under the moniker K2 or spice, which is an incense laced with synthetic marijuana that is smoked like pot.
Commissioners President Tony Newton said they decided to undertake the issue at the urging of Sheriff Mike Bowlby.
John DePrez IV, attorney for the commissioners, said the sheriff provided him a copy of an ordinance Boone County passed banning the substance. He said he tweaked it for Shelby County’s use.
The synthetic cannabinoids can’t be sold in Shelby County or used on public property, according to the ordinance. Violation of the ordinance is a Class B infraction punishable with fines up to $1,000.
Shelby County Prosecutor Kent Apsley said any ordinance stricter than the ones the commissioners passed would be too challenging to enforce.
“The real key at this point is to dry up the availability of it,” he said.
Apsley called the county ordinance a stopgap until the Indiana legislature can pass something.
“I have no doubt that you’re going to see a bill criminalizing this,” Apsley said.
Karma Music, located in the BelAire shopping center, currently sells K2. Manager Audra Miller said the store will pull it from their shelves when it needs to comply with the new ordinance. She said the store was anticipating the possibility of not being able to sell it because so many other communities were passing bans.
“If that’s what’s safer for everyone involved, then that’s what it should be,” Miller said.
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