Leaders Discuss K2 Drug Problem At City Hall Meeting
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Leaders in Dallas are trying to figure out what it will really take to stop a growing drug problem. Today city officials are hearing from police and discussing plans on how to combat K2, a synthetic herbal product that mimic the effects of marijuana.
In just the last few months, Dallas Fire Rescue has responded to hundreds of overdoses in and around downtown.
Dallas Deputy Police Chief Vernon Hale presented a report to members of Dallas City Council Public Safety Committee and talked about what can be done to the people who sell the synthetic drug and how the overdoses can be stopped.
Despite K2 being banned, users say it is easy to get.
Not only is K2 dangerous, causing side effects that include elevated blood pressure, vomiting, tremor and seizures, organ and brain damage, it's also causing a drain on public safety resources. Police officers say they're responding to more K2 emergencies than ever, with the problem growing most around the West End DART Station.
DART rider Gabriel Delvalle said he is seeing officers patrol the area, but there are other things that need to be done as well. "Well, definitely take it out of the stores… I would definitely say. A lot of it's over the counter, it's right there as you're fixing to check out."
There are two things the committee could look at after today's meeting:
- regulating drug paraphernalia shops
- keeping K2 at least 1,000 feet from schools and churches
The meeting began at 11 a.m. at Dallas City Hall.
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