Huntington One Step Away From K2 Ban

K2 or ‘Spice’ is already illegal in some Indiana counties, but physicians are pushing for a ban statewide.

"Kids think spice is the herbs that we use in cooking and these are just herbs so therefore they must not be that bad” says retired physician, Dr. Richard Huber.

            Next week physicians from around the state will gather at the Indiana State Medical Association Convention. They’ll debate a resolution for a statewide K2 ban.

"It says on the package 'not for human consumption.’ It's supposed to be used for incense, but the kids are smoking it” says Huber.

            The doctor's recommendation would provide an immense amount of backing for a statewide ban.

"I’m pretty confident that there's not going to be very much controversy about this and that there's probably going to be little opposition and that this will pass” Huber says.

            The legislature won't meet until January, so in the meantime Huntington and other local communities are taking action now.

"What we can't do is turn our back on it and allow it to continue and not do anything” says Huntington Mayor Steve Updike.

            Huntington City Council voted 5-to-2 last night to more forward with a K2 ordinance. It would ban the sale not the use of K2. Council will make a final vote in two weeks.

"We moving forward and can't step back. I just got too many mothers worried about the drug” says Updike.

Fort Wayne and New Haven have already banned the sale and use of K2. Allen County banned just the sale.

"We’ve got people, I’ve been told, that are coming down from Fort Wayne and buying multiple packs and going back and they're going to have to go somewhere else to buy their K2” Updike says.

            Mayor Updike is hopeful that the state will pass a ban, but for now, he says local government must take action to protect the community.