The use of synthetic marijuana is growing. York City Police said in the last month they've had at least nine encounters with people they thought were on synthetic pot. "We're seeing that it's impacting folks to the extent where crimes are being committed. We're also seeing where suicide is being committed as well," said state Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D-Philadelphia).
And it's not just a Pennsylvania problem. A few years ago a 14-year-old boy in Georgia killed himself after using synthetic marijuana. His story is the inspiration behind House Bill 1052, which aims to crack down on the drug known as K2 or Spice.
"I absolutely support this bill. I think what it does is it gives law enforcement greater latitude to respond quickly to these synthetic drugs which are coming on the market much quicker than government can keep up with," said Rep. Kevin Schreiber (D-York County)
Right now it can take the legislature as long as two years to outlaw a chemical formula used to make synthetic pot. However manufacturers can easily change the chemical components to get around the law. With the new bill lawmakers could add a new chemical formula to the list of illegal drugs every three months, which would close the loop hole. The bill would also create new programs that would allow officers to test for synthetic marijuana in the field. It's currently in the Judiciary Committee where it could be voted on within the next few weeks before going to the full House.