Farmington Hills Officials Support State Ban on 'Synthetic Intoxicants' Known as Spice

Acknowledging calls by some residents to enact a local ban, Farmington Hills officials on Monday expressed support for state legislation to control a class of synthetic drugs that might have played a part in two violent deaths with local connections. 

The final resolution, passed during Monday night's city council meeting, refers to the drugs as "synthetic intoxicants", correcting what one council member said can be a dangerous misperception about them. 

Council member Dr. Randy Bruce, who is a therapist, asked that the words "synthetic marijuana" in the proposed resolution be changed. He wanted to avoid confusion with synthetic marijuana that is used to treat nausea and other symptoms experienced by cancer patients. 

"This is not synthetic marijuana," he said. "This stuff is potpurri sprayed with chemicals."

Bruce said education is important, because kids who try the drug thinking it's a legal form of marijuana may not know it could kill them or severely affect their health. 

City attorney Steve Joppich suggested changing the wording to "synthetic intoxicants such as K2, Spice and other synthetic substances". 

Synthetic drugs commonly called K2 and Spice might be tied to violent attack on the Cipriano family in their Farmington Hills home and the murder of student , both within the past two months. A number of Oakland County communities, along with Livingston, Wayne and Macomb counties and the city of Detroit, have banning their sale. 

Mayor Barry Brickner said a local ordinance would only carry misdemeanor penalties, while a state law would be considered a felony, with tougher penalties. Also, he said, the people manufacturing the drugs only have to change its chemical make-up to create another legal product.

officers recently visited 45 establishments and "not one of them was selling the product and all of them have pledged not to sell the product," Brickner said. The pledge is part of through which businesses receive a placard showing customers they don't sell K2. 

City manager Steve Brock said he believes the negative media attention and pressure from parents has had results. He said he visited a gas station that carried the drug and told them he wouldn't do business with them if it was on their shelves. When he returned later, the drug was gone. 

"The consumer has all the power on this," he said. 

Council member Michael Bridges also asked that the issue of a local ban be brought back if the state legislature is slow to enact their ban, especially given the tragedies experienced in the community. 

"I think that's a very important point that cannot be lost," he said.