Fred. Co., Md. Commissioners Considering Ban on Synthetic Marijuana
By: Dawn White
Updated: October 19, 2012
FREDERICK, MD - Things are getting spicy in Frederick County, Md., where commissioners are considering a ban on synthetic marijuana.
Commissioners vote on all types of issues each month.
"We don't want to ban Safeway from selling nutmeg," said Blaine Young, (R) - president of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners.
However, commissioners are thinking about banning another kind of spice, K2 or synthetic marijuana, in the county. This comes after Thurmont and Frederick City began looking into doing the same.
"If it is banned in those jurisdictions, then obviously people are going to find somewhere else that they can get it or sell it, so we want to be proactive," Young said.
Commissioners added a spice ban bill to their legislative wish list and will vote on it next week.
Joe Cohen owns Classic Cigars and British Goodies along North Market Street and sells spice at his shop.
"We sell only to people over 18 years of age, and that's it," Cohen said. "I can assure you the products I sell don't do people any harm."
Cohen says his supply of spice has gone down after federal regulations, and he doesn't think the county stepping in is necessary.
"They might last a week or two weeks, but that would be mostly the same for everyone I think," Cohen said.
Cohen is collecting petitions against the ban. He's gotten more than 120 signatures in the past four days.
"I don't think getting high is an activity I'd want my kids to do or anyone in our community would want their kids to do," Young said. "We don't want them to be able to do it because there's a loophole in the law."
This is an issue commissioners will vote on Thursday, October 25th.
If commissioners vote for the ban, they'll present it to the Frederick County Delegation in December. The bill could then go to Annapolis for the 2013 session, which begins in January.
