Durant Police Department’s Deputy Chief, David Houser, said people really don’t know what they are getting themselves into when it comes to the consumption of a synthetic marijuana substance known as “K2” or, “spice”.

Recently three teens in the Texoma region were reported to have overdosed on the synthetic pot while they were in a car outside of the Midway Mall in Sherman, Texas.

Since the overdose there has been a chain reaction across many local communities in the area to come together and put a ban on the consumption and sale of the synthetic substance.

Houser said there are many side effects in the product that consumers may not be aware of. He said there are reports showing users to have symptoms of high blood pressure, increased heart rate, anxiety, paranoia, and even vomiting.

He said unlike the substance known as THC that is found in marijuana, the K2 substance is a chemical substance that is sprayed on multiple herbs or spices that give the increased effects of THC.

“The most common substance found in K2 was a JWH-018 substance that is suppose to mimic THC and can be four times as potent to the consumer,” said Houser.

Durant’s Texoma Tobacco Employee Annette Lovelace said she is keeping their K2 stock under the counter in their store. She said unlike the Texas stores, they plan to keep a well secure hold on the K2 stock, preventing any sales to minors.

She said they have many customers that come into the store to purchase the product to help them with physical illnesses like cancer or glaucoma. She said they even have customers using the product to quit smoking cigarettes and marijuana.

“If people will use the product like it is supposed to be used then it would not be harmful to them,” said Lovelace.

She said the product is meant to be used like an aroma therapy candle where you burn the product like a incense in your room.

Tobacco store Owner Arif Alsabbagh said the K2 substance is not displayed openly to the public in his stores.

He said all of his employees are making sure they ID their customers when they sale the product.

He said the product is clearly marked that customers should not consume the substance, so he feels no responsibility when they consume the product and have bad reactions.

He also said that he knows of two other stores in the Durant area that are offering the same product.

Alsabbagh said his company’s policy is to ID each customer under the age of 30 and they plan to strictly enforce the policy.

After Nov. 1, 2010, the “K2” substance will no longer be legal in the state of Oklahoma after the state legislature passed a bill last year to stop the sale and consumption of the substance.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm said he wished the bill would have had an emergency clause with it. He said it would have become illegal the day they passed it.

“This was a very appropriate step for the legislature to take. It is one more step in keeping Oklahoma safe,” said Gumm.

Julie Rorick from the Bryan County Drug Court program said she has not heard very much information about the substance, but the information she has heard sounds pretty dangerous.

She said her program runs many specimen tests for any mind altering substances and they are able to test for the “K2” substance by sending it out of state.

After Nov. 1 the consumption or sale of the substance known as “K2” or “spice” will be illegal.

Houser said he just finished a conference in Pittsburgh, Penn., about the substance.

He said he is nationally certified with three other officers at the DPS to recognize people who are under the influence of the drug.

Houser said after November his force plans to treat the substance as a Schedule 1: Controlled Substance which can be compared to the same punishment as marijuana.

Houser said it does not matter if the substance is legal or not, because it is illegal to drive under the influence of any drug or alcohol.