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'Spice' manufacturers change formula, sell drug again

Manufacturers of Spice changed its formula and are again selling drug.

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By Jacqui Boyle, Staff Writer 1:35 AM Saturday, December 31, 2011

DAYTON — Manufacturers of Spice or K2, a synthetic marijuana, altered their recipes and are again marketing their product in stores and on the web, but officials say the new formula is still illegal under Ohio law.

Spice, often sold in packets as “herbal incense,” is smoked to get high, and has been found by a National Institute on Drug Abuse study to be the second-most frequently used illicit substance among high school seniors, after marijuana. Users have said the new altered product is stronger than the original formula, which sickened hundreds across the nation and is linked to deaths.

On Oct. 7, Gov. John Kasich signed House Bill 64, sponsored by Rep. Margaret Ruhl, R-Mount Vernon, and Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton. The law outlaws the possession, use and sale of synthetic recreational drugs, including Spice and bath salts, and makes penalties for possession or trafficking of the drugs the same as those for marijuana.

Luckie said about 10 states in addition to Ohio have outlawed Spice. The alteration of the original product is still illegal under Ohio law, he said, as the new formula has the same properties.

“They’re really not changing the chemical,” Luckie said of Spice manufacturers. “They’re just giving it a different name.”

The law contains a provision that prevents manufacturers of Spice and other substances from altering the chemical makeup in an attempt to technically comply with state legislation, said Denise Rankin, assistant director of Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory.

Despite the new law and its provisions, authorities say they suspect local stores still supply the product.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said undercover officers searched six convenient stores in Montgomery County on Nov. 1, and made purchases of suspected illegal synthetic marijuana, including Spice. The total number of packages obtained exceeded 150. Store owners will be charged if the packages are determined to contain Spice or other illegal substances, he said.

The demand for Spice remains high.

Brooke Ehlers, forensic chemist at the Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory, said she sees about 20 cases of Spice usage each week.

“We have seen it increase since the laws have taken effect,” she said of Spice usage. “It (House Bill 64) doesn’t seem like much of a deterrent.”

Spice causes paranoia in users. Local Spice and bath salts users under the influence of the drugs have assaulted their family members and police officers.

Luckie said disrupting the sale and shipment of substances like Spice is key to addressing the issue.

“Just because a crook changes his name, he’s still a crook,” he said. “It’s still illegal. It’s still killing people.”

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