Farmington Hills Officials to Consider K2 Resolution

While officials in a number of Oakland County communities, the City of Detroit and have banned or are considering bans on the sale of the synthetic drug K2, Farmington Hills officials will instead consider a resolution supporting the passage of state and federal legislation.

, , , Waterford Township and White Lake Township have either passed or are talking about bans. Hills city manager Steve Brock said Tuesday that a city ordinance won't do much to stop sale of the drug, which is known by many other names including "Spice". 

"It only makes it a misdemeanor," Brock said. "And if you ban it by name, the manufacturers will change the name the next day ... Let's just deal with it on a state basis, and make it a very serious crime. That will get the businesses that sell this stuff to stop." 

Oakland County commissioner Bill Dwyer agrees. He told Monday that passing state and federal legislation is the way to address the problem. 

"If you have an emergency ordinance for Farmington, they're just going to go to another city," Dwyer said during last night's city council study session.

He added that he applauds all the efforts going on right now to control sales of the drug, which could be tied to a deadly attack on the Cipriano family in Farmington Hills and the , and likely contributed to .

Dwyer told council members that during his 48-year law enforcement career, which includes 23 years with the Detroit Police Department and 23 years with , "I've never seen an epidemic like this ... This is totally new to law enforcement, a drug that isn't illegal that should be illegal." 

"What we have is a statewide problem, that should require a statewide, uniform solution," Chief Chuck Nebus said. "My hope is that the state will have a stiffer penalty than we would be able to levy against the people who sell it."

Nebus said violating a city ordinance would carry a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail or a $500 fine. 

He said the drug was a problem even before the recent high-profile cases, and officers are starting to see more of it. In one recent case, Nebus said, a driver who was on the wrong side of the road had a form of K2 or Spice in the car and said he had been smoking it. Last week, a young woman arrested for retail fraud in a statement "alluded to the fact that it makes her crazy," Nebus said. 

Sources in Lansing have told Nebus they expect to see legislation signed by the governor within the next few weeks, and he said federal legislation could be enacted as soon as July. 

"I sense we're getting close, and that we will soon have the tools to do our job," he added. 

In the meantime, he said, officers will be checking with local businesses and making sure those that pledge to not carry the synthetic drug receive .