Forsyth Authorities Seize Synthetic Pot from Local Stores

The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office is wasting no time in seizing synthetic marijuana around town.

, just days old, allows law enforcement the ability to confiscate synthetic marijuana, and this week authorities did just that.

There were 1,939 bags of the fake substance, commonly knows as spice, “bath salts” and K2, taken off the streets in a sweep Wednesday evening of five local businesses, according to Sheriff Ted Paxton.

“We went to five different locations. One location, The Smoke Shop on Hwy. 9 had already complied with the rule and removed the items from the shelf. At all four of the other locations, we confiscated synthetic marijuana that we estimate having a value of $28,000,” he said in a press release.

The four businesses where the fake substances were confiscated from include:

• King John Smoke Shop at 3280 Keith Bridge Road at Hammond’s Crossing – 1,073 bags were seized with an estimated value of $14,185.21

• at 410 Atlanta Road Suite B – 437 bags were seized with an estimated value of $7,001.34

• Al’s Quick Stop at 1080 Dahlonega Highway – 324 bags were seized with an estimated value of $5,059.76

• Heads Off Smoke Shop at 2325 Atlanta Highway – 105 bags were seized with an estimated value of $1,755

“We are only estimating the value of the substances,” said Paxton. “We are going by the values that the businesses had listed on the product.”

"We are going to continue to remain diligent in monitoring the distributors of these substances," Paxton continued. "Until this emergency rule was passed on Monday, law enforcement’s hands were tied as far as dealing with synthetic marijuana. We applaud the rule and see this as a huge step toward keeping these dangerous substances out of the hands of our citizens so lives can be saved."

The Georgia State Board of Pharmacy (SBOP) Monday adopted an emergency rule classifying newly discovered compounds of synthetic marijuana and giving Georgia P.O.S.T. certified officers the ability to enter any retail, wholesale, distributor or manufacturing facility to identify and seize drugs, compounds and articles identified in the emergency rule.

Officers would be acting as agents of the SBOP and the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency (GDNA). The rule allows law enforcement to seize the new forms of the synthetic marijuana, but does not provide for an arrest.

“The General Assembly will have to address any criminal penalties for the new versions of the synthetic marijuana, added Paxton. "Right now, all we have the authority to do is confiscate the product."

Authorities will be sending samples of the substances, from the bags confiscated, to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for testing.

Narcotics officers expect to make visits to other businesses within the Forsyth County jurisdiction to make sure those establishments are complying with the emergency rule.

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