SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — WFTV first told you about the dangers of K2 or synthetic marijuana two years ago. Lawmakers have since banned the substance, but 9 Investigates went undercover and found it’s still being sold at Sanford gas stations as herbal incense.
K2 was behind the counter at the Kwik Stop on South Orlando Avenue. The cashier sold WFTV a packet of Mr. Nice Guy for $15.
A few blocks away, we bought another brand named Caution at another Quick Stop.
An FDLE lab analyst told WFTV synthetic marijuana can be stronger than the real thing.
“It can be 100 times more potent,” the analyst said.
A 21-year-old man who is in recovery said he watched several friends have seizures while smoking K2, but he bought it anyway.
“You can use a credit card and get this stuff when you have no money, and that was one of the first times I tried it,” he said.
WFTV had a professional lab test the incense we bought in Sanford, and both contained illegal compounds. So, we went back to the stores with a few questions.
However, the employee who sold us the K2 denied everything, despite WFTV video that showed her selling us the product.
“Is it too profitable? Is that why you’re selling it?” we asked.
“No,” the woman replied.
A worker at the Kwik Stop down the street also denied selling the product.
“Why are you still selling Caution when it’s illegal?” we asked.
“Actually, we are not selling Caution,” the worker responded, saying he has only worked in the store a couple of days.
Since the packaging does not identify the compounds, it may be difficult for cashiers and store owners to know if the items are illegal. Sanford police told WFTV their drug unit would look into the stores.
In May, state lawmakers banned 92 additional compounds used in fake marijuana. But almost as soon as a new law is signed, FDLE officials said chemists, usually in Europe or Asia, slightly alter the composition so it can still be sold legally.
To get a conviction in Florida, synthetic marijuana has to be tested at an FDLE lab. Since the new compounds were added in April, the Orlando lab has seen a 114 percent jump in the number of synthetic drug cases.
WFTV
