JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are considering a ban on a widely available and legal drug that mimics the effects of marijuana.
The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Ward Franz, told the House Public Safety Committee on Tuesday that easy access to the drug means even children can buy and use it legally.
His bill would ban possession of a chemical compound found in a mixture of herbs sold as incense in smoke shops around the state.
Possession of a controlled substance is a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.
A similar bill is moving through the Kansas Legislature. The drug is not controlled nationally in the United States, but increasing popularity in European countries prompted several countries to ban it.
