Daily Press & Argus: Synthetic cannabinoid products confiscated as officials ban sales in Livingston County

Declaring the substances an “imminent health danger,” Livingston County officials served 10 businesses a notice to stop selling the drugs Friday, and have confiscated drugs from at least two establishments, according to the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.

Livingston County joins a slew of other municipalities across the state banning the sale of the substance this week, including Macomb, Wayne and St. Clair counties, West Bloomfield Township, as well as the city of Detroit.

The Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that would ban the sale of synthetic cannabinoids - including brands like K2 and Spice - and synthetic cathinones - including bath salts.

Synthetic cannabinoids are chemically engineered substances similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), the active ingredient in marijuana. Synthetic cathinones are synthetic derivatives of a substance that comes from the shrub “khat."

The bill, which is an amendment to the Michigan Public Health Code, now has to go to the Senate for concurrence before being signed into law. If passed, it would be effective July 1.

Washtenaw County officials have developed on an incentive program to encourage businesses to stop selling synthetic cannabinoids. The program is similar to one announced in Oakland County last week.

At a Board of Commissioners meeting Wednesday night, Public Health Officer Richard Fleece announced the administration was drafting a plan.