Full Notification

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is working with local retailers in unincorporated McHenry County that may sell a product marketed to them as legal K2 and/or Spice. Many of these establishments may not have been made aware that when it’s marketed to them, the Federal and State government have deemed K2 and/or Spice to be illegal and have placed a ban on this product. The Sheriff’s Office is working with local retailers to aid them in a group effort of keeping the community safe and keeping synthetic drugs, also known as research chemicals, out of resident’s hands.

Although some products may not contain the specific chemical compounds banned with K2 and/or Spice, the chemical compounds found in them, as-well as the physiological effects of the compounds, are substantially similar to those found in the banned version of K2 and/or Spice. Therefore, these products are considered analogs of the banned K2 and/or Spice and are illegal under the Illinois State and United State’s Federal Analog acts. In an effort to protect the community and local retailers from the harmful and dangerous effects of K2 and/or Spice, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office is working with retailers that sell any and all K2 and/or Spice as it is a banned substance. Under the Illinois Controlled Substance Act 720 ILCS Act 570 on January 1, 2011 an addition was made that states any person found to be in possession of K2 and/or Spice could be charged with a Class 4 Felony. Any person found to be selling K2and/or Spice could be charged with a minimum of a Class 2 Felony.

On Wednesday, April 13, 2011 the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office visited businesses in the unincorporated areas to inform owners and managers about the newly adopted law and to educate them about K2 and/or Spice. During the course of these visits, the Sheriff’s Office found four businesses that were selling K2 and/or Spice. The items were confiscated and the businesses were further educated on the new law.

Recently synthetic drugs, also referred to as research chemicals, have been gaining popularity as recreational drugs and are used as such because it is commonly believed that these drugs are not banned and do not produce harmful effects; however, this is not the case. K2 Spice, specifically, is marketed in the drug world as synthetic cannabis and produces effects similar to ingesting cannabis. Other synthetic drugs, 2CE, 2CB, 2CT2, and mephedrone are also being abused in a similar fashion as these drugs produce effects similar to LSD, MDMA, and amphetamines. These drugs have been marketed on the internet and in local retail establishments as everything from incense to bath salts. There are no studies or scientific data that has evaluated the long term effects of recreationally abusing the aforementioned drugs.

Since this ban went into effect in January, establishments may have been misled or uneducated due to the quickly evolving manufactured products. Manufacturers of these synthetic drugs are continuously creating new products and names. Parents and concerned citizens looking to obtain additional information can refer to two of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) websites: www.justthinktwice.com and www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com . Local referral assistance can be obtained by calling McHenry County Crisis Line 1-800-892-8900. To report illegal activities anonymously call Crime Stoppers for McHenry County at 1-800-762-7867 (STOP) or call the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office at (815)338-2144.