Ferndale City Council Approves Policy Against K2, Spice

The city of Ferndale is taking a stand against products such as K2 or Spice. City Council approved a resolution Monday night that opposes synthetic marijuana and urges the state to do the same.

The resolution states that the Ferndale City Council opposes the "availability and use of herbal incense products consisting of plants and other materials treated with synthetic cannabinoids within the city of Ferndale" and "requests the Michigan Legislature adopt legislation banning the sale and possession of these dangerous substances as soon as possible."

Last week, Ferndale Police Chief Timothy Collins sent notices to about 30 local vendors asking for participation in an with every business owner contacted complying with the request.

Collins said only one place was still selling it – and it agreed to immediately stop – and some others had stopped after learning of the recent incidents in media reports.

"We've got a good community where the people understand what's going on and have self-corrected it before we had to step in," Collins said.

The , but especially in Oakland County, where it has been connected with high-profile homicide cases in Farmington Hills and , as well as the .

Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter said he believes the state needs to address the issue. "Really this is a state issue that has to be handled at the state level," he said.

Ferndale City Attorney Dan Christ said he will review the issue further and have more information for council at its next meeting. "This is the first step with respect to taking a proactive approach," he said. "It simply affirms that the council is against this particular product."

Christ said the state Senate may take up the issue this week, but fortunately in the interim "it doesn't appear to be in Ferndale's community at this point."

"This resolution would put council on record as being opposed from it and asking the state to take it up promptly," he said.

Councilman Dan Martin thanked Collins and the police department for working on the issue and "really doing a ton of work to make sure we don't have this in our city."

"I really appreciate all the effort that you put out this week," he said.

Coulter echoed Collin's remarks about the business community and thanked businesses for voluntarily keeping K2 off store shelves.

"Our stores in Ferndale are free of this substance but it doesn't mean our city is. Parents, if you have teenagers ... be on the lookout for this stuff," he said. "Our stores are free of it, let's make our community free of it."

More information on K2, Spice

Patch recently took a look at some facts about the synthetic drug. .