Columbia mom asks the city to stop sales of fake pot

A Columbia woman is urging city leaders to completely ban fake drugs after her son overdosed and almost died. ABC 17 News has been reporting for several years about the growing dangers of synthetic marijuana and efforts to stop it; however the problem is staying a step ahead of cops.

Laura Cornelison spoke at the Columbia City Council meeting and asked that they ban these synthetic drugs completely, not only make the chemical compounds in them illegal.

“My son he’s 14, he had a near death experience with this substance, I almost lost him a few weeks ago,” said Cornelison.

For her synthetic marijuana has become a very real nightmare. It’s a drug she had never even heard of, and fears other parents haven’t either. “I bet you 90% of parents don’t even know what I am talking about because it blind sided me, I had no idea,” said Cornelison.

“My concerns are the availability, how easy it is for our kids to get their hands on it, on this substance, it’s basically a poison,” said Cornelison.

She said many stores sell the drugs, but you have to specifically ask for it. So, ABC 17 News wanted to find out how easy it is to buy these drugs. A news crew went to several smoke shops and convenient stores in Columbia and found the “herbal incense” only at Maris.

They crew was told to look at Ultramart off of Paris, and then Maris. The crew was able to find the same packet of substance that Cornelison claims almost killed her son.

The packet says it is not for human consumption, but because people are smoking it Cornelison hopes city officials take notice. “Its going to sweep the nation if we don’t stop it, we have to stop it right away.”

You have to be over 18 to buy these packets of synthetic drugs. However, Cornelison said many young teens get older people to simply buy the drugs for them.

Cornelison urges parents to watch out for signs of these drugs like seizures, rapid heart rates, vomiting, and especially change in behavior.