A local convenience store could be facing up to $238,500 worth of fines plus court costs for carrying the prohibited K2 in its store.

According to Brownwood Police officials, a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission officer was conducting an inspection on Lillie’s Market (Valero station) located at 1201 Austin on Tuesday when he noticed the K2 for sale at the store.  Knowing this was in violation of a city ordinance, he contacted the Brownwood Police Department and approximately 477 packets of kush tobacco (K2) were seized.  A citation was issued to the store’s owner.

Brownwood city council passed an ordinance prohibiting the possession, use, or sale of the substance on November 9, 2010 with a fine up to $500 per violation.  Early also passed a similar ordinance on October 18, 2010 with penalty of $500 fine, which is the maximum allowed under a class C misdemeanor.

When the ordinance was introduced in October, City Attorney Pat Chesser of Brownwood explained that the ordinance bans any substance that contains the 5 substances that make up the product along with the plant that is called salvia divinorum or the combination of any of those substances. The ordinance also bans any items or pipes that are necessary to smoke or ingest this substance.

K2 is reported to mimic the effects of marijuana although some believe that the effects can be much worse.  According to Brownwood Police Assistant Chief Fuller, the dangers of using the substance are many.  He noted that there have been emergency situations where the local hospital encountered patients with symptoms similar to cardiac arrest, and treatment was difficult because no tests at the hospital could determine that the patient had ingested or used K2.