Ohio headshops skirt new drug ban for 'spice'

CLEVELAND - Northeast Ohio stores are still selling versions of synthetic marijuana, despite a ban on some chemicals used to make the drug.

NewsChannel5 has uncovered how local headshops can skirt a new law aimed at banning a potentially dangerous drug.

The Drug Enforcement Agency banned the five most common chemicals used to make "Spice" or K2 Tuesday.

However, an agency spokesperson in Washington, D.C. told NewsChannel5 Investigator Sarah Buduson there are still dozens of legal chemicals that can be used to create versions of spice.

With our hidden camera, NewsChannel5 found a headshop in Westlake selling the legal versions of Spice Thursday.

The DEA said it only banned the five common chemicals used to make Spice because the agency has limited time and resources.

Those chemicals are JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47 and cannabicyclohexanol.

DEA officials said they had received an increasing number of reports from poison control centers, hospitals and law enforcement about increased usage and problems with "Spice."

Spice is synthetic marijuana. Herbs are sprayed with chemicals that are meant to mimic the effects of marijuana.

Drug prevention experts said users often hallucinate and experience nausea, vomiting and a racing heartbeat after smoking the drug.