Beating Death Brings K2, 'Spice' Into Spotlight
DETROIT (WWJ) - A lot of attention is being given to a form of synthetic marijuana because of a possible link to the beating death of a Farmington Hills man.
"It's sprayed with several types of psychotropic drugs ... which can cause hallucination and delusions and things of that matter," said Darius Brantley, with the Detroit Recovery Project.
Brantley told WWJ Newsradio 950's Stephanie Davis that the product, called "K2" or "Spice" is much more potent than marijuana, and use of the drug appears to be on the rise -- mostly in the suburbs. In the inner city, he said they see mostly alcohol abuse and heroine use.
Brantley said K2 was originally marketed as a potpourri or intense. "Overseas, I believe it was in Europe, someone decided to mix this synthetic cannabinoid with the potpourri or the incense in order for it to be smoked," he said.
"Teens can walk into any smoke shop, gas station, party store and pretty much purchase this," Brantley said.
A purported friend of 19-year-old Tucker Cipriano, charged in a deadly attack on his family, told reporters they'd been getting high on K2 together on the day of the crime.
