By Adam Allington, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Charles, MO – Missouri has become the fifth state to ban the marijuana-like substance known as "K2".
K2 is a mixture of dried herbs sprayed with a synthetic substance that, when smoked, mirrors the effects of cannabis.
Governor Jay Nixon says the popularity of K2 has spiked in recent months among college and high school students, making it a legitimate health risk.
"This is a clever attempt to provide a dangerous high legally and whoever was doing it was trying to get around the law," says Nixon.
Governor Nixon said the new penalties for possession of K2 will be exactly the same as marijuana.
"Its, in essence, synthetic marijuana," said Nixon.
"Marijuana is illegal, synthetic marijuana should be illegal and they should have the same penalties. Just because somebody figures out a way to do something different, outside the statutes I mean, we've had to modify our controlled substance statutes five times in the last seven years."
K2 is generally sold in head shops and gas stations. Anyone in possession of the substance after August 28 will face fines and/or jail time.
In addition to K2, the bill also bans certain steroids, sedatives and nitrites known as "poppers".