Goodbye “Mr. Nice Guy”

Synthetic marijuana is illegal to use and sell as of March 1.

Once published in the Federal Register, products with brand names like “Mr. Nice Guy,” “Spice,” “Black Mamba” and “K2” will be classified as illegal substances, the Sun Sentinel reports.

“It will be a Schedule I harmful substance with no medical usage,” DEA spokeswoman Barbara Carreno said to the newspaper. “Schedule I substances include marijuana, heroin, cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine.”

The only people who can legally use the products are researchers registered with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, she said.

The classification will be in effect for 12 to 18 months while the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services studies the effects of the products on humans that are often labeled “not intended for human consumption” and are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the newspaper reports.

HHS recommendations will determine whether the products will be permanently controlled.

Penalties for sale, use or manufacture of the products will be at the felony level, Carreno told the Sun Sentinel.

Synthetic pot products can cause severe nausea, headaches and vomiting. There’s been cases of overdoses, some fatal.

Sold in brightly colored packages in gas stations, convenience stores, head shops, and online for as little as $30, the products are often marketed as incense.

Read more: http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/crime-and-safety/2011/02/28/synthetic-mari...